Dauntless
by Madd.Elise
Summary: "You want to recruit me?" Tris asked, partly dazed, partly incredulous. Dauntless, a top secret organisation, specialising in hand picking and training recruits to be secret, special agents. Beatrice 'Tris' Prior has been selected for their new recruit class. Modern AU. Eventually Four/Tris. A similar, yet different exploration of Divergent. Appearances from many known characters.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: **Just a brief introduction/explanation for this story. I read Divergent and Insurgent, and I really was captivated by Tris and Four, and the world of Dauntless. (The whole rebellion, destruction thing not so much.) So I decided to try Four and Tris in another world, where they will have another story. They, and their friends, and the idea of Dauntless will survive, but in a different setting. I plan to keep them in character as much as possible, and to have some similarities to Divergent (The events/incidents may look similar at first, but they will evolve differently, and there will be different twists and turns). I have actually done a complete plan for this fic, prior to writing this chapter. I have it all outlined, and all character bios complete. So, if this story takes off, it has a finish line in site from the start. I hope you enjoy this first chapter - it is only short, and merely sets up my new world.

**Dauntless**

**Chapter 1**

Tris Prior walked through her front door after another long day at school.

She carried the mail in her hand, and dropped it on the kitchen counter as she made her way to her room.

Once in her room she changed into a pair of comfy sweats and a light t-shirt, in preparation for going for an afternoon run.

She liked to run before settling down to her homework. It was only a few weeks before she was to graduate high school, so she had study to do, not homework.

As Tris ran around her neighbourhood, she went over her study notes mentally. She enjoyed the ambiance her neighbourhood provided, it was clean, with nice houses, with tidy lawns, where it was safe for children to play in their front yards.

Tris and her family lived in borough of Pennsylvania, called Faction. Their neighbourhood – Abnegation – was one of the most peaceful areas for miles. Tris had lived their all her live, and had had a happy, healthy, normal childhood.

Tris reached her home again, 5 miles later, waved at her neighbour, Susan, and headed to her front door, noticing her mother **and **brother's cars in the drive.

"Caleb?" Tris called out in happy surprise, looking for her brother as she entered the house.

"Tris, take your headphones out, you're too loud," her mother chastised gently, from her place in the kitchen.

"Sorry," Tris said contritely. "I'm just excited, I didn't think Caleb would be home for another few days."

"I finished my finals early," Caleb announced, descending the stairs quickly and enveloping Tris in a hug. "How you doin', little sis?"

"Looking forward to graduation," Tris replied.

Most seniors say this, and usually because they're looking forward to celebrating with friends and embracing escaping the confines of school. Others are eager to move on to college and pursue their dream career.

Tris was looking forward to graduation to end the endless drag of high school. Tris was a good student – an excellent one really. She was second in her class, participated in many extracurricular, from track, to debate, to choir. Through all this she had made no real friends, and had found no one thing she felt really connected with, that she wanted to pursue. The more she tried, the more she excelled at, and she didn't make any real connections with people. She was friendly, and people were friendly back, she wasn't disliked, she wasn't a social outcast, she was really just there, constantly busy in one thing or another. Tris was glad to be finishing high school, even if she didn't really know what her future held for her, besides college. Probably more of the same, if high school was anything to go by.

Tris took a long drink of water at the kitchen sink, wiping perspiration off her brow.

"Darling, this was in the pile of mail you brought it," Natalie, Tris's mother said, interrupting Tris's thoughts of her future. "Looks like letter from another college or something similar."

Tris had had several offers, but had almost settled on PennsylvaniaStateUniversity. She had been offered a part scholarship there, and it was close to home. Tris didn't see the point in taking up an offer for a better university, further away from home, when she had no major in mind, and no career path to pursue as of yet.

"Thanks," Tris said, taking her mail. "I'm going to study now, I'll see you in a bit for dinner."

Upstairs, Tris set her mail on her desk and went straight into her study. Whatever was in the letter didn't really hold much intrigue for Tris – her decisions for college were basically made.

That evening, the Prior family sat around the dinner table, discussing their days.

Caleb, Tris's older brother, had just completed his freshman year at The University of Pennsylvania, he was one step closer to achieving his plans of becoming a lawyer. Caleb also played football, attending college on a football scholarship.

Their father, Andrew, was a doctor, who served as a GP in their community. He was well liked and respected, and served on the school board at Tris's school. Caleb gained his love of learning from their father.

Natalie, their mother, was a sweet, gentle woman, who taught elementary school. She had long, dark brown hair, a contrast to her daughter, who had long, fair hair. They both shared a pair of round, wide greyish-blue eyes.

The Priors led a comfortable life, and on the whole, they were a happy, normal family.

Even so, Tris often felt out of place, or incomplete, their lifestyle was not enough for her. She didn't know what it was. But something was definitely lacking. College was just to be the next step in what seemed to be a never ending path of discovery. She hoped that if she kept on searching, she'd find something that really excited her, that consumed her, somewhere she fitted in, and doing something she loved.

After Tris and Caleb had cleaned up after dinner for their parents, Tris returned to her room, and the letter on her desk caught her eye.

She picked it up and opened it.

She had not been intrigued by it in the slightest before, but once she had read the letter, she was definitely interested.

She read it several times over.

The letter was a late scholarship offer, a generous one, for Tris to participate in a special program. It didn't specify a school, just that a scout had noticed Tris, and felt she would excel in their program, and that they would like to meet with her as soon as possible.

There was a time, date and address listed. There were no contact details provided, no way of declining or accepting the offer without attending the meeting.

_Very clever_, Tris thought grudgingly. One way or another, the vague yet intriguing message almost demanded the reader's presence by its careful omittance of any direct contact information.

The letter also asked that the recipient not discuss the enclosed details with anyone, until they had attended their meeting. The program was a highly exclusive and experimental, that relied on secrecy to maintain its effectiveness.

Tris marked the time and date in her phone calendar and set an alert. She was attending that meeting. Maybe it was the answer, maybe this program, that wanted her, knew better than she did about what she should pursue in life. A tingly sensation overcame Tris as hope filled her. Something was coming, she could feel it.

**AN: Thanks for reading :) The next chapter will be longer, and really get straight into things. Please review/follow if you want me to continue. I like to write things people want to read!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: So, I got some follows, and a review, which makes me so happy! I'm so happy others like this idea :) Thanks for the support, and I hope you keep enjoying this.**

**Chapter 2**

Tris nervously smoothed the grey skirt of her dress as she stared up at the tall building.

She glanced down at the address in her phone, then at the number on the building.

She was in the right place.

She had made a snap decision to attend her meeting, and even though she had grown more apprehensive as the date drew nearer, there was no way she was backing away.

Tris walked into the foyer of the foyer and approached the front dress.

"Excuse me, I'm here for an 11.30 meeting with Harrison Thompson," Tris said. "I'm Beatrice Prior."

While Tris waited for a response from the receptionist who was looking at her computer screen, smoothed an imaginary loose hair back. Her sensible bun did not allow for stray hairs, but nonetheless, Tris fidgeted.

The receptionist then looked up with a smile and said, "You're right on time. I have a pass for you, giving you access to the 5th floor, where Harrison's office is. You'll see where to go from there."

Tris accepted the pass, a little crease of uncertainty on her brow. This was easily the strangest scholarship meeting she had attended.

Tris looked at the receptionist, who appeared to sense Tris's uncertainty, and she actually seemed to be amused by it.

"Thank you, Shauna," Tris said, reading her name tag as she offered her thanks, even though they were a mere courtesy, instead of a genuine parting remark.

Tris headed for the elevator, her low, sensible heels making no sound on the rug covering the foyer. As an almost eighteen year old American girl it would have been more than normal or acceptable for Tris to wear high, fashionable heels, with a sleek suit or a pencil skirt. Instead, she was plainly and simply dressed - fashion was not something Tris was very interested it.

Tris pressed the up button and waited.

As she waited, her eyes scanned the large room. It was nicely decorated, but rather impersonal. Or rather, there was nothing in the décor to define the room, to set it apart from any other office building. There were no clues to add to Tris's futile search for more information on the people behind the scholarship fund. She had searched the internet and had found nothing. It was unsurprising, seeing as that had mentioned that secrecy was important, but she'd hoped there might have been **something**.

The elevator arrived and Tris stepped into it, scanned her pass and pressed five.

Less than a minute later, the elevator landed on level 5 and Tris stepped out.

She looked around, the quite, deserted floor. It was odd – there was no noise, no people moving from here to there.

There were plenty of offices, so Tris assumed the floor must be dedicated to a specific type of staff – those who worked in offices.

There was only one office with **Harrison Thompson** on the door, in large, clear writing.

Tris approached and knocked.

"Come in," a deep voice called.

Tris turned the knob, and after a brief moment of hesitation, walked confidently in.

She approached the desk, where a blond man, around thirty, sat. He stood, and she noticed he was tall, and well toned.

He offered his hand and said, "Miss Prior, I'm Harrison Thompson. Please just call me Harrison."

"Nice to meet you, Harrison," Tris replied, shaking his offered hand. "Thank you for meeting with me. Or rather, thank you for asking to meet me. It's intriguing to be offered a scholarship meeting for a scholarship you've never applied for, from a committee or organisation that seems not to exist."

Harrison smothered a grin and resumed sitting. "Please sit, Beatrice."

"Tris," she automatically corrected.

"Tris," he repeated. "Well, I can tell you've already got a lot of questions, and you're full of fire and curiosity. Those are just a couple of reasons you have been hand picked and offered a place in our program."

"Which is what, exactly?" Tris asked, her hands fighting her lap with eager frustration.

"How about I explain everything in full, and when I'm done, if you have questions, then you can ask them," Harrison suggested firmly, but kindly.

Tris nodded, and Harrison continued.

"This offer is not exactly what the letter makes it out to be. I know the letter was vague at best, but this is not the scholarship offer it seemed. This is a different kind of offer, and the training you are being offered, is free, it's just not a college education that you will be getting," Harrison began. "Our organisation has, scouts - if you will - placed throughout the country, we have departments and branches across the country, and the key to continuing our organisation is gaining new recruits. We want the best, and only the best. Our scouts look for those with enquiring minds, determination, individuality, intelligence, bravery, physical ability. Our agents need these skills so we can train them to become the best, the best secret agents possible. We do what needs to be done, we go where we're needed to go, we make impossible decisions and take impossible cases. We're invisible, we have presence, we're top secret, and we're the best. We are brave, courageous and fearless. We are Dauntless."

"And you want to recruit me?" Tris asked partly dazed, partly incredulous. And awed. Definitely awed. "How does this exactly all work?"

"Well, should you choose to accept our offer, you will go through extensive training, and if and when you pass training you will be a fully fledged agent. Most agents go on to do field work, the nature of which you will learn more about in your training. We do of course have agents who are involved in training and leadership and a couple of other areas, but these positions are specialist and again, you will learn more later on," Harrison explained.

"Is it like some cult?" Tris queried. "Will it be like I never existed in the real world, will you fake my death or something? Will I ever see my family again?"

Harrison smiled at her extreme notions, and replied, "No. You family can never know about Dauntless, but you will be able to see them, provided you're willing to uphold whatever cover story you are given. Each recruit and agent is given a cover story to help them maintain a façade of a cover life in the real world. This is often important for whatever mission you're assigned to. Sometimes the best type of secrecy is to live as a normal person while completing your assignments."

"And if I don't want this?" Tris asked slowly.

"Then you leave, no questions asked," Harrison replied. "In the interest of full disclosure, I will tell you that you have to drink a serum that will while any memory of your contact with us from your mind. This is for your sake as well as ours. If you choose to continue your life as it is, you need to be able to do it without the weight of this knowledge hanging over you."

Tris nodding, thinking over all of his words.

"You can have half an hour and a quiet room to think your decision over," Harrison offered.

"I don't need any time," Tris replied, a light in her eyes, excitement in her voice. "When do I start?"

Harrison stood, and offered his hand to Tris again. She stood as well and shook it.

"We're happy to have you aboard, Tris. Your training will start this fall. Instead of going to PennState, you will be coming to us," Harrison explained.

"How, where, when, what do I tell my parents?" Tris asked in a rush.

"Everything will be explained in due course. I am going to take you to see another agent, who is in charge of new recruits, and she will explain where to go from here to you," Harrison told her simply.

They walked down the corridor, and stopped at an office three doors down on the left.

"See you at Dauntless," Harrison said, placing a hand on her shoulder. He then rapped three times quickly on the door.

The door opened, and Harrison walked off.

Tris walked into the new room.

Once Tris's eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room, she had a chance to take in the person she was now with.

She was petite, with dark, angular eyes, and straight black hair. She was clearly of partly Asian ethnicity. Tris noticed a couple of tattoos peaking out from under her black clothing, but couldn't quite identify them.

"Hi Tris, I'm Tori," she said.

"Hi, Tori," Tris replied.

"Welcome aboard," Tori continued. "This is my favourite time of the year – getting to meet our new recruits, and setting them up for training and initiation."

Tris just nodded and Tori smiled reassuringly at her.

"Today, we're going to come up with a good cover story for you and I'm going to explain what you'll need to bring in the fall, and some things you'll need to expect," Tori explained. "I won't be telling you much about what comes after you first join the Dauntless training base, because it's important for a lot of training that you don't know too much of what is coming."

"Right," Tris said, her brain spinning quickly.

Tris and Tori talked, and together they formulated a cover story for Tris to tell her family. As they talked, Tris filled out the necessary paperwork for a new Dauntless recruit.

Tris was going to tell them that she had received a late, full scholarship offer from a college across the country that she couldn't, so she would not be making many, or any trips home during the coming school year. She'd still be able to write and call, but her schedule and the distance would make visits from either end unlikely.

In reality, Tris would still be in the borough of Faction, only about forty-five minutes from her home. Dauntless had one training base in Faction that served as a base for the whole of Faction, including the districts of Candor, Amity, Erudite and Abnegation, as well as greater Pennsylvania. The base was closest to the city of Harrisburg, only a couple of hours drive from WashingtonDC.

Tori explained that the training base was where many agents lived, all recruits lived during training, and most senior agents in leadership for the region where based out of the building or compound.

Many agents also had homes outside of the Dauntless compound, but used them for specific missions, and more commonly lived in the compound as it was more practical.

From the outside, the building looked like a common office, for a construction company. Anyone who mistakenly entered the foyer was merely turned away and pointed in another direction.

Tori also explained that the building they were currently in they just rented out for the purpose of these interviews.

"So, you won't really need to bring anything with you on September 1st, but you will of course need to pack things so you're family thinks you're going away for nine months," Tori explained. "So, we suggest you pack a suitcase as if you were going away to college for nine months, and pack an overnight bag of the things that you'll actually need here. We'll keep your suitcase in storage."

"What exactly should I pack?" Tris asked enquiringly.

"Some personal effects, just a couple, maybe a few photos. We have a library, a media room, a communal computer room, so it's not necessary to bring a laptop, books or your own movies. We also issue you with uniforms, and you are able to buy clothes or bring clothes to wear when you're off duty or not training," Tori answered. "As agents we wear a lot of black, and that usually sticks, even in our casual clothes."

"So, I guess this kind of will be like college," Tris mused. "There will be classrooms, teachers, learning, dorms, a cafeteria, and I'm packing a bag come fall."

"That's where the similarities pretty much end," Tori said with a smile. "Oh, one last similarity – you'll be meeting plenty of new people and hopefully, making new friends."

"Hopefully," Tris agreed with a smile. Maybe here she'd finally fit in and make friends.

"One last thing before you go, Tris," Tori added. "We like to give our recruits a little insight to Dauntless before they return for the fall. We are called Dauntless. Our motto is _Ne altius quam ferro secat_. Fear cuts deeper than swords. Courage, bravery, fearlessness are our most important traits. This is what you're signing up for."

**AN: So, what do you think? Really excited with where this story it going :) Thanks for reading, reviewing and following!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Welcome to the new readers :) So happy to have you all on board! I hope you enjoy this chapter. Things get more exciting from here on in.**

**Chapter 3**

"Oh darling, I'm going to miss you," Natalie Prior said, hugging her daughter tightly.

"Can't. Breathe. Mom," Tris wheezed, as her normally gentle mother hugged her abnormally hard. "It's just nine months. I'll call, I'll write, send you snap shots."

"You just see that you do," Natalie said, releasing her and kissing her forehead.

"We'll visit you next year," her father promised, giving Tris a quick hug. "We'll have a family holiday and you'll know where everything is and be able to show us around like the perfect tour guide."

"Sure, Dad," Tris said, wondering how Dauntless would get around that one. She was sure they would though, they had a plan for everything. If she passed training, which she was determined to do, they'd even supply her with a graduation certificate at the end of her 'college degree', to keep up with her cover story.

"It's a shame your brother had to get back to college early," Natalie remarked.

"It's good that he's so eager to work on his studies, he wants to do well," Andrew countered.

"We hung out heaps this summer, it's cool, he's doing his own thing, I'm doing mine," Tris said placating.

Tris had made the most of her last summer at home, before her life was to change forever. She didn't have any friends that she needed to say goodbye to, she just spent as much time with her family, enjoying the simple pleasures of a beautiful summer.

Of course, she had spent a lot of time wondering about what Dauntless would bring her, but she tried not to let it consume her over the summer months. She was sure she would be consumed by it soon enough.

"That's your flight, Beatrice," her father said. "We'll go now. Make sure you call us when you land."

"Of course," Tris replied. "I love you both, talk soon."

She kissed her parents goodbye, and watched them walk away from the airport.

Instead of going through the boarding gate, Tris carried her overnight bag and purse and headed for the pickup zone, specified in her instructions from Dauntless. There she found a non-descript black car, and what she could only assume was an agent.

"Tris, your luggage has been retrieved," the agent greeted her. "Please get in. On the backseat you will find a blindfold. Before we start driving you will need to put it on. I will know if you try to peak, so don't bother."

Tris obeyed and shortly she was blindfolded and headed for the Dauntless compound at the Faction headquarters.

The ride was a little less than an hour, and a silent one.

Tris had plenty of time to think over the actions that had led her to this day, and just before her brain got into a truly heated debate with herself over her choice, the car stopped.

"You may take off your blindfold and get out," the agent instructed her.

Tris took off her blindfold and got out.

They were in an underground car park, it was well lit, but also dark, as was the nature of enclosed, concrete, underground car parks.

"This way," she was instructed.

She followed 'her' agent to the nearest elevator. As they walked, she noticed that there were other parked cars, other agents with recruits heading to elevators, and other cars driving in, presumably with more recruits.

She and 'her' agent, and two other recruit/agent pairs made their way to the very top floor.

There they were left, all alone.

A moment later, another elevator load of recruits arrived.

Within a few minutes, the room held about twenty recruits.

Five minutes passed and no more recruits arrived. Tris concluded that this must be their class.

"If this isn't the strangest thing I've ever been a part of, my name isn't Christina," a pretty, dark skinned girl, with long brown hair, standing next to her remarked in a quiet, dry tone.

"It may be right now, but I bet it gets stranger the longer we stay here," Tris countered. "I'm Tris. And I suppose you're Christina."

"Yes, I've helpfully already told you that," Christina remarked cheekily.

Just then there was a shift in the crowd atmosphere. The recruits surrounding Tris and Christina stopped their murmuring and became silent.

Two tall, imposing figures moved through the little, crowd, which pulsed with nervous tension and anticipation.

One figure was tall, with short, dark hair, cold, grey eyes, and several visible tattoos and piercings. The other was also tall, also with dark brown hair, but he had no currently visible piercings or tattoos. Also in contrast, his eyes weren't cold and hard, just a little distant, but an intriguing blue.

They both moved to the front of the room, and stood there, impressively silently, waiting expectantly.

The new recruits all turned to make sure they were facing them and maintained their silence.

"If you think this is going to be some sort of adventure, some easy ride of fun and games, you should leave now," the one with the hard eyes began in a hard tone. "I will be in charge of training half of you. Specifically, the half that already has relatives in Dauntless."

The other then began to speak, his tone firm, but not unkind, "In pop culture you will be familiar with most fictional agents of our nature calling each other by the surnames, or Agent, or Agent Surname. Here, we use our first names, we feel it allows you to create a closer relationship with your colleagues. In our line of work it is very important that we work as well together as possible. So, I am Four, and he is Eric."

"Four is not a name, it's a number," Christina said under her breath to me.

"The familiar use of first names does not mean we demand less respect from you, and it does not mean we're automatically friends. You give us the respect we are due, and in return respect and friendship is given to you new recruits. Otherwise, teaching you respect will be a painful process – for you," Four said warningly.

"Yes, training will be hard enough without angering us, which you will no doubt accomplish at some point anyway," Eric added, an evil glint lighting his cold, hard eyes.

"As a first initiation task, you have to face your biggest fear. This fear was disclosed when you filled out paperwork after accepting the offer back in May. Think about what you wrote, because you are about to come up against it," Four announced. "First, we will split you up into the two sections, according to the system Eric mentioned before."

A few minutes later one group was following Eric into an elevator, and the other was following Four into another.

As they crammed into the elevator Christina – who was with Tris – whispered in Tris's ear, "He's very young."

Tris sneaked a look up at Four. He was very young. Probably only a couple of years older than her 18 years.

Just before she looked away, Four caught her eye and gave her a small smile.

He was nowhere as frightening as Eric, more impressive than threatening. Tris felt he could be more than threatening though, if the need arose.

Surprisingly, Four then spoke, "Contrary to the impression Eric gives, this is not going to be some alternative form of hell. It's going to be hard work, but you were picked because we believe you're the best recruits possible. You will find parts of this journey enjoyable as well as difficult."

"You're starting off by making us face our worst fears," a tall boy with blond hair and green eyes countered.

"You're training to be Dauntless, if you can't face your fears you might as well leave now," Four replied, a little coolly. "I don't need to explain why we start with this challenge, but I will."

They had left the elevator now and were following Four along a long corridor.

"The way you attack this test is the best way to assess how you will approach the rest of your training. There are three stages to Dauntless training: the physical, the emotional, and the mental. As your training continues, in stages, you will be ranked, and at the end of training, you will receive an overall ranking. Those will the lowest ratings will be cut. Look around you, some of you, all of you, might not make it," Four said seriously, his voice a little grim.

Tris looked at Christina, whose eyes were lit up at the prospect of the challenge. Tris squared her shoulders in determination. She would make it, she wanted this. She had noticed that physically, she was one of the smallest recruits, but she was fit, and she was smart, and she was determined. She would be Dauntless.

They followed Four into a large room, which contained a room within the room, or perhaps more of an enclosed arena.

There was a large whiteboard which Four approached and wrote up a list of names.

Molly

Edward

Drew

Will

Christina

Peter

Myra

Albert

Tris

Joan

Ten names. Five boys and five girls.

"This will be the order in which you face your greatest fear. No one else will watch, but I will be closely monitoring the situation, and it will be recorded for later us," Four explained. "After you face your fear another agent will escort you out of the room and arrange for you to be supplied with several uniforms of the right size and you will be shown to your dorm. The rest of the day is yours. Tomorrow, training begins in earnest."

_Second last, great_, Tris thought. The wait in itself was practically a test.

All of the recruits waited in silence. There had been no instruction as to this, but clearly no one felt like talking.

As her fellow recruits disappeared one by one, as Four called their names at varying intervals, Tris put names to the faces. The blond boy with green eyes was Will. Peter had beautiful facial features with dark, sleek hair, but eyes that appeared cruel. Molly was a big, physically imposing girl, with largely unattractive features. Albert was taller and broader than any other recruit, and had a surprisingly kind face.

Tris mentally catalogued the details of the others and saved them for later. None of them particularly stood out, but she was sure she'd learn more about them as time went on.

Albert had been gone for ten full minutes, according to the clock on the wall.

It would be her turn soon.

Several minutes later Four called, "Tris!"

Tris rose and walked for the door in the inner arena. She turned the door knob an entered, marvelling at the amount of rooms containing the unknown that she had walked into since coming in contact with Dauntless. She had no idea how they would make her face her fear.

The minute she stepped into the room she was surrounded by ocean waves.

Her heart rate immediately picked up and her breathing quickened.

The rolling waves of the ocean rocked her up and down, thoroughly wetting her.

She choked on some salty water and struggled for composure fighting to stay afloat.

Deep in the logical recesses of her brain, she realised there was no way this was real. The ocean, in a room in a city building? Impossible. And yet, another bit of salty water was making its way down her throat and into her lungs, choking her.

Dammit! She would not lose it and drown in this accursed arena.

She made an effort to calm her breathing and tried to tread water. She began to concentrate on something else, anything else, and pretend that she was not in the middle of the ocean, potentially minutes away from drowning.

She mentally recited Hamlet's soliloquy from Act III of Shakespeare's famous tragedy.

Her focus composed her and as she reached the end of the soliloquy she realised the waves were gone, she was on solid ground.

She clutched at her clothes, realising they were completely dry.

There were no visible effects from the ocean waves, although she could still faintly taste salt in her mouth.

She felt exhausted, and a little faint.

Tris stumbled to the edge of the room and out the exit door.

Four was standing just outside, expecting her.

"How did you do that to me?" Tris asked, gasping.

"Simulation technology, cutting edge intelligence stuff," Four answered, grabbing Tris as she swayed.

"I'm fine," Tris protested, pulling away and steading herself.

Four looked doubtfully, but said, "An agent will meet you through those doors."

Tris did not look back at him, and made her way towards what she hoped would bring her some comfort after what had been a trying day.

**AN: Thanks for reading :) Please review and let me know what you think! Merry Christmas for tomorrow :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Thanks to those who reviewed, it makes my day :) Welcome to the new readers! On with the show. Story, that it. I'm going to try an develop things from here on in with similarities to Divergent, but without the exact same situations and dialogue.**

**Chapter 4**

Tris arrived at her dormitory, uniforms in hand.

She entered to find a tired looking Christina lying down on one of the two beds in the room.

"Thank God," Tris muttered, glad that she would be sharing a room with her new friend.

Tris surveyed her temporary new home.

Single bed, dressers, bedside table, lamp, the same for Christina. There was also a small couch.

"The bathrooms are down the hall," Christina offered. "My agent mentioned it, thankfully. I can tell you I needed a long, hot shower."

"I don't really want to think about water for a while," Tris replied grimly, attempting to shrug off the shudder that threatened to overcome her at the thought of her earlier experience. She held onto the thought that she had at least found a way to overcome her terror – at least at that moment.

On her bed, Tris noticed her overnight bag, containing her personal effects. An agent must have put it there at some point.

Tris sank on to her bed with a sigh of relief.

"So, they said dinner will be served in a little while," Christina remarked.

"In the dining hall, 7th floor," Tris said, parroting 'her' agent.

"What do you make of all this?" Christina asked suddenly.

"I don't quite know yet," Tris replied. "I think we got the better instructor, though."

"Hotter, you mean," Christina teased. "I saw you looking at him."

"I looked at everyone," Tris protested. "Not just at him. I take everyone in, all the details. It's what I do."

"Well, I doubt you'll forget him anytime soon," Christina chuckled. "Now, what are you wearing to dinner?"

The girl talk seemed to have revived Christina and she got quickly off her bed and headed to Tris's.

"I'm not sure, I didn't bring much with me. Probably just a black pair of jeans and a black shirt. I don't really care," Tris answered.

"Don't worry, I'll soon fix that," Christina promised. "You have to let me do your hair and make up too! You have some good features that deserve a little help."

Tris, too tired to protest, and perhaps a little intrigued at the idea of a makeover, submitted easily to Christina.

As Christina worked, she chattered, happy to let Tris reply when she felt like it.

"I'm from Candor, I was really caught off guard by this whole thing, but in that interview with Harrison it just made sense for me. I wonder if he'll be training us at all. I noticed lots of agents have tattoos, it must be a thing. We should get one each too, after all, what better way to mark out new lives? That Eric looks like a piece of work. I can't wait to get to know all of the other recruits, especially the ones working with Eric, but I guess we won't get to spend much time with them during training."

Christina reeled all these thoughts off, leaving Tris to mull them over at her own speed.

"It's going to be strange, living completely out of this building for the next few months. I think I read we can at least shop online, and there are a few services available here, like a doctor, and a kind of convenience store, among other things. Hopefully we make friends with an older agent who can show us the ropes, give us some tips. Even one of those new recruits with a Dauntless relative would be good to know."

"The agent who I met with after Harrison last spring was really nice," Tris commented. "Tori, was her name. I hope I run into her again."

"You might, agents who are involved in this training process don't seem to have a current assignment. I guess we're their current assignment," Christina joked. "There, you're done!"

Christina backed away and Tris stood up and headed to the little mirror above her dresser.

She smiled back at her reflective, surprised, pleased, and definitely a little astonished.

Christina had applied some eyeliner and mascara that made Tris's eyes stand out, which gave new depth to her face. She had also let Tris's hair out of its usual bun and added a few intricate braids to Tris's long, wavy hair.

"So, you like it?" Christina asked in confirmation, pleased with her handiwork.

"Yeah, I do," Tris said, carefully stroking her hair. "I guess I've never paid much attention to making myself pretty. So long as I was neat and tidy I didn't really care. My mom wasn't very fashion conscious. Plus, I've got this boyish figure, it's not much to work with."

"Well, now you've got me. And you're petite, not boyish. Anyway, I'll be your personal stylist," Christina said cheerfully. "If we survive what's coming," she added ominously.

"What, dinner?" Tris teased.

"Ha, funny," Christina retorted. "Actually, I'm pretty hungry, and if that clock on the wall is right, the dining hall is open."

Tris quickly changed and the two headed out and made their way fairly easily to the dining hall.

The place was humming with new recruits and existing Dauntless agents.

Tris recognised Eric sitting with what were obviously some agents, about his age. He was talking animatedly, and laughed once, but even in laughter he looked cold and hard.

Christina and Tris grabbed themselves a tray each of good looking food and headed to a table where a couple of their fellow recruits were seated.

"Hi, I'm Christina," she said, sliding in next to Will.

"Will," he returned in a friendly tone. "This is Al."

Al gave a wave, and a somewhat shy grin.

"And this is Tris," Christina added.

"Hey," Tris said with a gentle smile. She was happy to let Christina make them new friends – making one new friend was enough after the tiring nature of her day.

"It's nice to actually talk to some other new recruits, it's not like we had much chance earlier in the day," Will remarked. "Was today as, well, crazy, for you?"

"It sure was something," Tris supplied.

"I don't know if I'll ever get used to this," Al added.

"I will, I know I'm going to love it," Christina said confidently.

Will looked admiringly at her.

At the moment, Tris something caught her attention in her peripheral vision. It was Four, walking right by their table. Something about him captivated her, drawing her eyes to him, almost against her will. It was that he was handsome – he was – it was his presence, he had a very commanding quality.

He must have felt her looking at him, for he turned his head and their eyes met and locked for a brief, but powerful moment.

Tris wanted to break the connection, but refused to. She had nothing to be afraid of, she had every right to look anywhere in the room she wanted without being embarrassed.

Her instructor didn't seem aggravated by her attention, and merely met it, then continued on his way to the food line.

Christina then chose that moment to elbow Tris in the ribs and say, "Hey! You're on another planet or something, Tris."

Tris shook her head and smiled sheepishly.

"Lost in thought, sorry," she answered. "What did I miss?"

As they were finishing their meals, they were taken by surprise as a voice sounded throughout the room, clearly coming from a sound system.

"Attention all new recruits. Following the completion of dinner, you are required to attend an orientation meeting in the lecture room on the 4th floor. This will commence at 8. Do not be late."

Silence. Then talking resumed as agents returned to their conversations and recruits discussed their new instructions.

After dinner, Tris and Christina made their way to the 4th floor, as instructed, accompanied by Al and Will.

Once inside the lecture room they took seats, not too far from the front, but far enough back to be safe.

A few moments after sitting down, a tall, dark skinned guy, with dancing brown eyes, sat down next to Tris.

"I didn't know they were accepting twelve year olds as recruits," he teased.

"I can hold my own," Tris retorted firmly.

"I look forward to seeing that," he replied genuinely.

"Well, it will be a while, seeing as you're being trained by Eric," Tris pointed out.

"Right," he agreed, standing.

"Leaving so soon?" Tris queried, an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, my friends are waiting, I just wanted to meet the pint sized pixie," he replied with a grin.

"You didn't even ask my name," Tris said with an amused smile. "I think you just wanted to tease me. Anyway, I'm Tris."

"And I'm Uriah. See you around, Tris," Uriah replied, and walked off, and sat a few rows back with a couple of pretty girls and another guy.

"Making friends with the cool kids?" Christina asked curiously.

"Something like that," Tris answered, bemused by her encounter with Uriah.

At that moment, the room went dark, and an image was projected onto the wall at the front of the room.

It read: "**Dauntless Manifesto**"

There was no sign of a Dauntless leader or any agent.

Then Harrison's voice filled the room.

"The Dauntless have a manifesto, to guide us in our work, and this is it," he informed them.

The image changed and a list appeared.

_"We believe that cowardice is to blame for the world's injustices. We believe that peace is hard-won, that sometimes it is necessary to fight for peace."_

_But more than that:_

_We believe that justice is more important than peace._

_We believe in freedom from fear, in denying fear the power to influence our decisions._

_We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another._

_We believe in acknowledging fear and the extent to which it rules us._

_We believe in facing that fear no matter what the cost to our comfort, our happiness, or even our sanity._

_We believe in shouting for those who can only whisper, in defending those who cannot defend themselves._

_We believe, not just in bold words but in bold deeds to match them._

_We believe that pain and death are better than cowardice and inaction because we believe in action._

_We do not believe in living comfortable lives._

_We do not believe that silence is useful._

_We do not believe in good manners._

_We do not believe in empty heads, empty mouths, or empty hands._

Harrison waited a few minutes, allowing time for the recruits to read and absorb the words, and then he read them aloud himself.

Then the screen switched off, the lights came on and Harrison was standing at the front of the room.

"This morning when you met with your primary instructors, Eric and Four, you probably felt like you were being thrown in the deep end. That is just part of life here," he began. "That being said, we do like to spring a little orientation session on you your first night, to give you your best chance at succeeding here."

"So they're not completely crazy," Christina whispered to Tris, who smothered a grin in response.

Harrison went on to explain several things, where to find the library, the computer lab, the gym, the pool, the infirmary, the convenience store, and the training rooms. He also explained that after the day of training, their time was their own, if they had enough energy to move.

"As you probably noticed, you were allowed to keep your cell phones when you joined us. We let you keep your existing numbers for ease of maintaining contact with family, to keep your cover stories. We will however issue you all with new handsets, which have special apps programmed on them, to ensure your phone is equipped for optimum use. These will become a key part of your lives as Dauntless agents, and will be used from training onwards and in your lives as agents on missions," Harrison continued.

"Awesome, cool gadgets from the start," Will said, in a voice just loud enough for Christina and Tris to hear.

They both rolled their eyes, but were really excited at the prospect of a new, high-tech cell phone.

Harrison clearly could sense the excitement of the recruits, for he said, "Yes, gadgets are part of our work, and they are interesting and remarkable. By all means, get excited, learn all there is to know about the technology you have on offer – it can be a great asset. Do not however overestimate it and forget the power of your mind and your body. Balance is needed as a Dauntless agent, and you must combine all your skills and assets to complete your missions efficiently and successfully. This is what you will learn over the coming months. How to be the best you that you can be, and how to be the best agent that you can be. Take care to eat well, and get plenty of rest, and enjoy your down time. Tomorrow, you work begins in earnest. Before you go to bed, please turn in your cells. There is a secure box to put them in on the dormitory floor. You will get your new phones tomorrow. Goodnight."

And with that, they were dismissed.

**AN: Thanks for reading! I will update in a 4 - 7 days. If I get a heap of reviews I will put the next chapter up earlier ;) Enjoy the holidays!**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** **Happy New Year! Thanks for all your reviews, and welcome to the new followers :) I look forward to continuing on this journey with you all this year! Happy reading :)**

**Chapter 5**

Despite her racing mind, Tris fell asleep before she'd been in bed for five minutes, and slept soundly all night.

She was not plagued with nightmares about drowning, she was simply too tired to even dream.

When she awoke the next morning to the sound of an alarm she hadn't set, she felt refreshed.

"Who set that alarm?" Christina groaned, sitting up, hair tousled. It appeared as though she had tossed and turned a little in the night.

"I think it came from a speaker in the room," Tris mused, throwing off her covers and getting up. "I guess they want to make sure we're up in time for training."

"Please tell me it doesn't sound on weekends at least," Christina said hopefully.

Tris opened a dresser in her drawer and looked in at her identical uniforms.

She picked one up and held it, looking at it. As soon as she put it on, she would really feel like a Dauntless agent in training.

Tris peaked over her shoulder and saw that Christina was dressing silently. She really didn't appear to be a morning person.

Tris faced her wall, squelched her hatred of changing with anyone around, and threw on her clothes as quickly as possible.

Just as she was about to throw her hair up into a quick bun Christina said, "Wait! Let me do it."

Tris smiled and sat on the edge of her bed compliantly.

Christina quickly did Tris's long hair into a neat, thick braid that fell half way down her back.

"Food time," Christina declared. "I will feel more human after I've got some food in me. If I can't get a good cup of coffee I might just cry."

Tris chuckled and the two of them made their way to the dining hall, picking up Will and Al along the way.

"How are we supposed to know where to go or at what time?" Al mused over their breakfast. "Harrison didn't tell us last night, and that alarm just woke us up with no warming."

"They seem to like to keep us on our toes that way," Christina said wryly, much happier as she had found bountiful quantities of coffee.

"I'm going to guess we'll just get an announcement over that speaker system, like after dinner yesterday," Will guessed.

"You will," a voice said, sliding into the seat next to Tris.

"Tori!" Tris exclaimed in happy surprise. "I was hoping to see you again."

"This is part of my job, the whole recruiting process," Tori replied. "Who are you friends? They all must have seen other agents after their first meeting."

"This is Christina, she's my room mate. And this is Will and that's Al," Tris supplied. "We're all being trained by Four."

"You know, you might envy the group being trained by Eric, because they seem to have the advantage with family members in Dauntless," Tori began. "But you definitely have the better instructor. Four may be intimating, but he's one of our very best."

"Oh, please adopt us and be our guide to all things Dauntless," Christina exclaimed impulsively.

Tori smiled in gentle amusement and replied, "I'm happy to answer any questions you have. Come find me whenever. When I'm not on assignment, during the training period, I work in the gym. You can usually find me there. Or just message me. Your new cells have any contact details within Dauntless that you will need, including mine."

"Can you tell us anything about what to expect this morning?" Al asked hopefully.

"Be prepared for anything," Tori said with a smile. "That's all I'm saying."

Tori chatted with them for a little while, until, as predicted, the speaker came to life.

"New recruits, training commences at 8 a.m. Do not be late. Four's recruits are to gather on the 9th floor in room 3, and Eric's recruits are to go to the 9th floor, to room 6."

"Let's get going, it's already 7.40," Tris said, standing. There was no way she wanted to be late.

"No, I'm finishing my coffee first. I have a few more minutes," Christina said firmly. "You go ahead."

"I'll come with you, Tris," Al offered, standing as well.

Tris smiled gratefully – she didn't really want to make her way to their first day of training alone. And Al seemed really nice, unlike that Peter.

As they walked, Tris looked up at Al and said, "You're really tall," suddenly struck by his immense height.

"Yep, I've always been taller than everyone else. I don't always feel taller though," Al replied.

"Well, maybe that's something they'll teach us," Tris suggested.

"Yeah, maybe," Al agreed. "Your hair looks nice like that."

"Oh, uh, thanks. Christina did it," Tris said disinterestedly. She did not want to dwell on what appeared to be a compliment, even if Al seemed nice. She didn't want to pursue anything romantic at the beginning of training. She would have to be careful and try and nip anything in the bud. Perhaps she should have just gone alone to the training room.

They continued on in silence reaching the room a few moments later.

To Tris's surprise, Four was already there. To her greater surprise, she was relieved. She wasn't enjoying the tension that had suddenly sprung up between her and Al.

Tris found herself walking to the front of the room and approaching Four.

"What are those targets for?" she asked.

"Target practice," he answered, with a shadow of a smile.

Tris smothered a sigh and persisted, "What are we going to be aiming at them?"

"Today, guns," Four replied. "By the time you've finished training, you should be able to shoot an apple off someone's head at 100 feet. Take a seat, we'll start in a minute."

With that Four walked off and left Tris standing there, mind racing.

Christina walked up and said curiously, "What were you talking about with Four?"

"I just asked what we're doing today," Tris replied.

"And he didn't bite your head off?" Christina asked.

"He doesn't seem to mind questions," Tris replied.

Before too long, Four had handed each recruit a hand gun, and they were lined up, one to each target.

"This morning, you will have your first lesson in shooting a gun. This afternoon, you will begin training in hand-to-hand combat," Four said commandingly.

At this, Peter snorted, as if learning these to shoot and fight was beneath him.

"Do you already know how to do these things, so well that you could take down anyone?" Four asked Peter, his voice dangerously calm.

"I just don't see the point of starting with this. Aren't there more important things to learn?" Peter asked in a bored tone.

Four suddenly raised his arm and fired one, two, three, four bullets, straight into the dead centre of the target.

Peter flinched at the noise, as Four stood right next to him as he fired.

"If you don't think that being able to do that is not important, leave now," Four said dangerously. "Being an agent isn't about knowing the most, or high-tech gadgets. If you don't have the physical capabilities and knowledge needed to be an agent, there's no point in moving on to training you in other areas. So, let's see what you've got."

Four stared expectantly at Peter, his eyes never wavering.

Peter raised his gun, braced himself, and tried to appear confident.

His first bullet missed the target completely. His next three hit near the outer edge.

Four simply looked at Peter in disgust, then said, "The rest of you, begin."

Tris held her gun in her hand, focusing at the cool, hard, heaviness of it. She'd never held a gun before. Her family had never had one, her father did not like them. He hated all violence, especially seeing what it could do to people, as a doctor.

Tris looked at the target, raised her arm, braced herself, and prepared to pull the trigger.

She squeezed, tentatively at first, then firmly, and noise exploded around her.

The force of the gunshot caught her off guard, almost knocking her off her feet. She looked around. Everyone else seemed to have stayed mostly firm. Perhaps her small size would be a disadvantage. Her bullet certainly had missed the target.

Still, she steadied herself, and took aim again, determined to do better, to hold her own, and to prove to herself, more than anyone else, that she could do it.

Her next bullet hit the target, but barely.

Driven by determination, Tris fired round after round, until she regularly hit the middle of the target. This brought her a sense of accomplishment. She was on her way to being a Dauntless agent.

Tris took aim again, but before she could fire, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Four.

"You're relying too much on your upper body to support you," he said, sliding his hand down from her shoulder to the middle of her back. "You need to support yourself with your core."

He placed his other hand on her stomach, putting light pressure to indicate what she needed to change.

A tingle shot up Tris's spine at his touch, but she ignored it, focusing on his words.

Tris made the recommended changes, and found they improved her technique immediately.

When it was time to break for lunch a little while later, she was almost sorry, but the aching in her arms was enough to make her glad to give up the rhythm she had got in to.

As they sat down to lunch, all looking a little tired, Al said, somewhat nervously, "What do you think he meant by hand-to-hand combat?"

"I would assume we're going to learn to fight," Will deduced confidently.

"Well, of course," Al snapped. "But who?"

"Each other?" wondered Christina.

"We'll find out soon enough," Tris said tiredly.

"If you tell anyone, like that snake Peter, that I said this, I'll deny it, but my arms have never been so sore," Will disclosed. "I'm not even going to explore my new phone, just to conserve my strength."

The others chuckled, but were definitely in agreement.

"I must say I enjoyed watching Four tell Peter off," Christina announced. "I just hate that guy."

"There is something detestable about him," Tris agreed. "I don't know enough about the others to pin them just yet."

"Edward is dating Myra," Will supplied. "I bumped into him in the showers, and in the brief time we have shared together, he could not shut up about her. I might stab him with a fork if he keeps it up."

"I don't like the look of that girl, Molly," Al said quietly. "She's practically as big as me, and she always seemed to look like she's ready to kill someone."

"Maybe she is," Christina joked.

A quiet settled over them as they all released that they would probably end up killing someone, at some point, in their new line of work.

After they had finished eating, Tris stood and said, "I'm going to head to the bathroom before the afternoon session. See you guys there."

She hurried off, made a quick stop at the nearest bathroom, and headed back to the training room, as per the post lunch break instructions given by Four.

She found the training room empty, but she was only alone for a handful of seconds.

"Early again," Four commented.

"Habit," Tris replied simply.

"Why?" Four asked.

"I was always early to class, I never really had anyone to delay me," Tris answered honestly.

Four nodded, as if he understood, which puzzled Tris.

Four was popular, and always with friends, and with good reason. He was talented, good looking, and there was just something about him that drew you to him. Or at least, something drew Tris to him.

"I see the targets have been replaced by punching bags," Tris commented. "So I guess we're not fighting one another."

"Not today, you're not," Four answered, a little grimly.

The rest of Tris's recruit class came in all in a bunch then, and Tris joined her peers.

"This afternoon you will learn the basics of hand-to-hand combat," Four began. "Tomorrow, you will be using these skills to fight one another. Pay attention today or tomorrow will not go well for you. The outcome of your fights will be recorded and taken into account for your ranking. There will be several rounds of fighting to determine your skills against different opponents."

A little murmur ran around the room. Fighting one another? The thought caused a range of emotions from curiosity, to anxiety, to exhilaration, depending on the recruit.

Their afternoon was spent using punching bags, learning to kick and punch, to duck and weave. They did not use gloves. They would not be using gloves tomorrow, and they would not be using gloves in the field. The purpose of learning to train that way was to best equip them for what they would face in the field.

Tris's hands, and everyone else's hands, were red and stinging by the end of their session. Her muscles ached, including several muscles she never had known she had. They had only learnt basic moves, the rest was supposed to be instinctive. Instincts and a little bit of knowledge were supposed to be the best combination, according to Four.

He had helped each person individually, stopping with Tris and saying, "You have a good level of fitness, but not much muscle. In a fight, your best advantage will be to use your knees and elbows. You can get quite some force by using them in the right situation."

By the end of the day, all of the new recruits felt, and looked, tired.

They had just made it through dinner when Al said suddenly and determinedly, "I want a tattoo."

"What?" Tris said, surprised.

"Haven't you noticed that everyone around here seemed to have at least one tattoo or piercing," Al pointed out.

"Well, yes," Tris replied. Thinking specifically of the dark marking she had seen peaking out of Four's shirt neckline when they had talked before the afternoon session.

"Well, I want one. I heard that they actually have a tattoo parlour in here, with an agent who is a trained tattoo artist," Al told them.

"We'll come find it with you," Christina said, apparently deciding for them all.

Will, struck by an idea, pulled out his new phone, and within a few minutes, had found out where to find the tattoo parlour, and the four of them made their way there.

**AN: Thanks for reading :) ****I'll post a new chapter within the next week.**

**Please leave a review - I love hearing what you all think!**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Thanks to those who reviewed, and hello to the new readers :) I hope you enjoy the way I've approached this next aspect of training!**

**Chapter 6**

When the alarm went off the next morning, at 6 o'clock sharp, Tris sat up in bed, a little less startled than the morning before. She woke a little more quickly too, her body already beginning to adjust to the early start.

Then her fingers went to her collarbone, and gently touched it, where her new tattoo was.

The night before, she, Christina and Will had gone with Al to the tattoo parlour because Al wanted to get a tattoo.

When they walked in, they had found Tori there, talking to a tall, broad, muscled, tough looking agent, with plenty of tattoos. It was clear he was the tattoo artist.

"Oh, hi Tori," Christina had said, being the first to catch sight of her.

Tori smiled and turned around and greeted them.

"This is my partner, Bud," Tori added, after salutations where exchanged. "As you can see, he's our tattoo artist, but he's also my partner on field assignments."

"So, you lot are awfully keen to be getting tattoos already," Bud said, he appeared a little amused.

"Well, everyone around here seems to have at least one tattoo," Will had commented.

Tori smiled knowingly, and then explained.

"Once you pass training, each new agent gets a tattoo as a form of identification – in case you need to prove your identity when out in the field, usually to another Dauntless agent, from another area. You can pick whatever design of tattoo you want, the Dauntless 'D' just has to be incorporated into the design, somewhere unobtrusive," Tori informed them. "Many agents get more tattoos, or like yourselves, get tattoos before training finishes. It's a way of expressing ourselves as our uniforms don't allow it," Tori explained.

So Al had gone off with Bud to be tattooed.

While standing, chatting to Tori, Tris had noticed a design of a bird, and impulsively decided to have it tattooed on her collarbone. Three ravens, to be exact. One for each member of her family, as a way of keeping them with her, in her new life.

Like the morning before, Tris and Christina dressed quickly and quietly, with Tris revisiting the adventure of the evening before, conscious that her new tattoo peaked out above her uniform.

Breakfast was like the day before, but a little quieter, the new recruits thinking over the fact that they would be fighting each other in a very short space of time.

They returned to the 9th floor, but instead to room 2, as Four had instructed them at the end of training the day before.

They entered, as a group, subconsciously grouping together to face the unknown together.

In the training room there was a whiteboard, with the ten names of their class written up, and paired.

Molly vs. Myra

Will vs. Al

Joan vs. Tris

Drew vs. Christina

Edward vs. Peter

Four appeared, seemingly from nowhere, and began explaining their day, "The names on the board are who you are paired to fight with today. There will be several rounds of fights, so your ability against different opponents can be assessed."

The recruits stood before him, serious and quiet.

"The rules are that there are no rules. You do not get to wear protective gear. If you have to learn to fight without it, you're more likely to learn to protect your body, which is essential in the field. You have to think of this as a life or death fight, and you have to disable your opponent the best way you know how. The fight ends when one of you has successfully taken out their opponent. You can concede, but I really wouldn't do that," Four said, his tone an added warning. "This is as much a test of your combat skills, as of your bravery."

"What's the point in hurting each other?" Drew asked defiantly.

"You're welcome to leave, Drew," Four answered icily. "Otherwise, stay here, and learn. We're the best, and this is how you become the best. By doing what you're told and following methods that are proven to work."

They began almost immediately, Molly and Myra in the centre of the room, positioned on the blue mat where the fights would take place. The others stood around, waiting, watching, eager, yet nervous.

"This is so bizarre," Tris said in a soft voice to Christina.

"But kind of exciting, even though I'm the only girl fighting a boy today," Christina countered animatedly.

Tris paused a moment and thought over their differences. They were both determined to succeed, but Christina embraced everything new with excitement or eager anticipation. Tris was more wary. She assumed it was due to their different upbringings. Tris had been taught to respect life, that causing pain and injury to others was wrong. This was very much impressed on her father, who saw pain and hurt every day, and wanted to teach his children the right way to live.

The logical part of Tris's mind listened to Four's reasoning, explaining the teaching methods of Dauntless, but her gentle upbringing made her uneasy at the violence at times.

Tris watched as the physically imposing Molly, quickly, and quite brutally, beat the small and meek Myra. Myra looked a little worse for wear, blood was pouring from her nose, her left eye was already bruising and she was holding her side, wincing as she breathed.

Molly looked relatively unscathed.

Tris wondered how people like Myra and Al ended up having Dauntless choose them, and they actually accept their offer. Tris assumed there must be something seen in them, more than physical capability.

Tris knew that she didn't have much strength, but she was fit and determined.

Al, with his half a head height advantage, and general physical size, quickly disabled Will, winning him the fight.

Then it was Tris's turn.

She stepped onto the mat with Joan, and they faced each other, poised and at the ready.

Joan was of a general size, larger than Tris's slight figure, but she seemed to have a streak of determination in her eyes.

She proved this, by striking out at Tris first, catching her off guard, and placing a sharp jab to her ribs.

Tris winced and jumped back, carefully watching Joan.

Joan came again, trying to kick Tris's feet out from underneath her.

She missed, and Tris swung back, a little half heartedly, catching Joan in the shoulder.

They continued to circle, placing little hits on one another.

Tris could feel Four watching intently, and wondered what he really thought of all of this.

In her brief lapse of focus, Joan swung out and placed one hard hit to Tris's jaw, causing her to fall with the force of it.

Joan was on her in a second, pinning her to the floor.

"Joan wins," Four called out in a bored tone.

Tris stood up, and rubbed her jaw, thankfully that her first fight had at least not ended with any blood or broken bones. She was sure she'd have a few painful bruises though.

At the end of the first round of fights, Four addressed them.

"If you all fight like that in the field, you're going to end up dead. You can't dance around your opponent, fearful of what they want to do to you. They need to be fearful of **you**. Fear debilitates you in battle, in the field. You need to be hungry to win, hungry to stay alive. Tomorrow, if I don't see more fire from all of you, you might as well give up the idea of being Dauntless," Four said harshly. "Return to training room three after lunch, we'll be working on target practice again. Dismissed."

Tris was the last recruit out of the room, her friends hurrying out ahead of her, to seek refuge in their lunch break. They were all stinging from the discipline they had just received.

Tris however, wanted to think over Four's words more carefully, and a part of her was determined not to flee from his words, and the training session, straight into the comforting arms of lunch.

"You've all got potential, you know," Four said, coming up beside Tris and startling her. "You wouldn't be here if you didn't. Making it as an agent depends on what you do with your ability. You have great ability. Your uncertainty is what is holding you back. You have to forget everything, forget your fear, and concentrate on whatever task is in front of you."

Tris stopped, and looked at him seriously.

"You believe all that, don't you?" she asked. "You mean everything you say to us. Everything you make us do is a test, is training, is formulated to make us become the best."

"Yes," Four said simply. "The faster you understand that, the better. The only thing in your way, is you."

They walked on in silence together, headed for the lunch room.

"Does it bother you at all, pitting us against each other?" Tris asked, as they stepped into the elevator.

"Not anymore," Four answered. "Once this stage of training is over again, you're never made to fight against each other like this. But I know that it's essential to you becoming a Dauntless agent – one that will survive in the field."

As they reached the dining hall Tris said, "Thank you. For explaining all that."

Four just nodded, and headed to where his own friends were.

Tris headed for hers, feeling much more reassured, but also a little perplexed. She didn't understand Four at all. He yelled at them, set them impossible tasks, trained them to do violent things, and then, he was suddenly so human. Sometimes as an instructor, answering questions, and then, intimate, speaking directly to her, offering her advice.

She shook her head to clear it.

He was right. She needed to put everything else aside, her confusion, her uncertainty. She needed to focus on her training and put everything into becoming Dauntless. She did not want a low ranking, she did not want to go home.

Despite some of her uncertainties, she felt like she belonged, and that was something she had not truly felt before.

Christina, Al and Will all looked curiously at Tris as she approached what was now their usual table.

Tris ignored their looks and said pointedly, "So, why do you think none of the others sit with us?"

Christina and Al continued to stare at Tris questioningly, but as he was wont to do, Will answered quickly.

"Well, we hate Peter, Molly and Drew. Edward and Myra only see each other, and Joan is a bit of a loner. The other recruit group are of course 'too cool' to sit with us," Will explained swiftly.

"And I thought I was leaving high school behind," Tris said sadly, with a mischievous look in her eye that let them know she was joking. Well, partly joking at least.

"Yeah, it's basically still like high school. Just top secret and brutal. And like high school, people will still look funnily at you if they think you're crushing on your teacher," Christina said a little stingingly.

Her words had meant to be light, but her aching limbs, and general fatigue had ended up causing her to sound more cross than she was.

Tris looked like she was about to argue back, then thought better of it.

At the same time, Christina, immediately contrite said, "Oh, I didn't mean it to sound like that. I just mean, be careful."

Tris just nodded, unwilling to continue the conversation anymore in the public area.

After lunch they returned to training, and spent several hours practising shooting at targets.

Tris blocked the rest of the world out, focusing on the task at hand. Concentrating closely with all of her senses, using everything to get better at hitting the target.

By the end of their time Tris had regularly hit the centre of the target for about ten minutes straight.

Four, walking past her, said quietly, "Nice work."

Tris nodded, and continued.

Shortly later, Four called the class to attention.

"That's enough for today," he said authoritatively. "You're all coming along well. You've still got a long way to go though. I want you to spend the next hour in the gym, working out, building strength and cardio. This will be a regular part of your training from now on. You have to sign into the gym, so I'll know if you skipped going, or if you don't stay at least an hour. See you tomorrow in room 2, we'll be starting the day with fights again."

"And then the wolf chewed up all the little children," Christina said ominously.

A gurgle of laughter burst forth from Tris, and soon she and Christina were both laughing heartily, releasing the tension that had built over the last few days.

**AN: Thanks for reading :)**

**Please review with thoughts or suggestions!**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Thanks to those who reviewed, and welcome to the new readers, I'm so happy people are enjoying this story! We're really getting into things now :)**

**Chapter 7**

"Ugh, what day is it?" Christina moaned, wincing as she sat up, the alarm forcing them out of sleep once again.

"I think its Thursday," Tris mumbled through sleepy lips.

"Two more days," Christina said, slithering out of bed to dress.

"And then we get the weekend to ourselves," Tris finished, thinking of the brief reprieve that was in their sights. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got thoroughly smacked down by a strong, large rat called Drew," Christina said grumpily. "And who knows, today, a much larger, eviler rat called Peter might add to the handiwork of his pal Drew."

"You've had to fight a guy already. With my luck, I'll have to fight the sadistic Peter," Tris said grimly.

"I hope no one has to fight Peter. After what Four said yesterday, about fighting to kill, essentially, I don't want to be near that bastard," Christina said with a shudder.

"Peter or Four?" Tris asked jokingly.

"All of them," Christina said ominously.

"Come on, let's get some coffee into you," Tris said, taking her arm.

"I think I love you," Christina said dramatically.

"No, just caffeine," Tris teased.

As they waited in the food line they were joined by Uriah.

"Nice bruise," he commented lightly, looking at Tris's jaw.

"Nice split lip," Tris quickly countered.

They shared a brief grin, and then returned to the usual practice of Eric's recruits ignoring Four's recruits.

As they ate, Tris mentally prepared herself for the coming training session. She needed to focus only on beating her opponent, finding their weaknesses, and using them to debilitate them quickly and convincingly.

All the focus, purpose and composure Tris had developed since talking with Four the evening before vanished when she and Al walked into the training room.

She stopped dead and her breath hitched.

"What?" Al said, quickly noticing the change in her mood.

"Yeah, what's' going on? I almost ran into you," Christina said. She and Will had been walking just behind Al and Tris.

"Look at the board," Tris said dully.

They looked.

Will vs. Edward

Joan vs. Molly

Christina vs. Myra

Al vs. Drew

Peter vs. Tris

**Peter vs. Tris**

Not only did she have to fight Peter, she had to watch all of the other fights before she took Peter on.

All her confidence and purpose evaporated.

"Oh Tris," Christina said, very subdued.

"It's not right," Will said hotly. "You're so small, and he's so awful. How do they even pick who fights who? No one in their right mind would make you fight Peter with so little training."

"The fights are chosen by another agent. Each name gets a number and is randomly matched with another name. The fights are completely random combinations," Four said, startling them all.

They had not realised he was in the room.

"Bravery needs not to be based off how easy of a target you think your opponent is," Four added. "You fight who you are given. There's nothing I can do about it."

_Even if you wanted to?_ Tris thought, looking at Four, hoping to catch his eye and read that sentiment there. He wouldn't meet her eye though, and he almost pointedly walked away.

Tris almost felt like she'd been slapped. He blew so hot and cold.

A few minutes later Peter, Drew and Molly sauntered in to the training room.

Peter took a look at the board, grinned satisfactorily, and then said loudly to his companions, "It's almost like they're trying to make sure I get the top rank. I might as well be fighting a small child. I mean, did you see her yesterday?"

Will and Christina moved protectively around Tris, and they turned away from the smirks of Drew and Molly.

"You know," Peter continued loudly, moving towards Tris and her friends. "I think you'll have a new nickname by the time I'm through with you. Stiff. You'll be lucky if you can move. You might as well be stiff in your grave. Cold and stiff. Sore and stiff. Stiff."

"We get it," Al snapped. "That's a really clever nickname and everything, but how about you shut up? You don't get bonus points for bullying."

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Four said, his eyes blazing, his tone menacing. "We're not training you to be petty bullies. Shut up, and get ready. We're about to start."

_There he goes again, hot and cold. It's like he flips a switch. Sometimes he cares, sometimes he doesn't, _Tris thought.

"Will and Edward," Four called, indicating that it was starting time. "Begin."

Will and Edward were fairly evenly matched, of a similar height and weight. Edward seemed to be harder than Will, but Will was highly intelligent and logical, giving him a strategic advantage.

Their fight was not long, but it was quite intense.

Tris tried to regain her composure and plan the best what to approach fighting Peter, but every time she heard fist hit flesh, or felt Peter's eyes boring into her, her resolve faded.

The latest of Tris's determination was shattered as she saw Joan fall to the floor, unconscious and bleeding, at the hand of Molly.

Molly had landed two vicious punches to Joan's face, one breaking her nose, the other sending her to the ground, out cold.

"Step back Molly, you've won, she's unconscious," Four said warningly, in case Molly went on to really finish the job. "Will, Edward, take her up to the infirmary. I'll see you back here in no more than fifteen minutes."

Four then called, "Christina, Myra."

The remaining seven recruits, including Myra and Christina, stood silent and subdued.

"Christina, Myra, now!" Four snapped. "Look, this is another reality you need to get used to. People get hurt in our line of work, and usually much worse than Joan. You can't break down in the field. You have to keep going, your mission, and your life are too important."

Myra and Christina scuttled onto the mat to face off.

Christina made quick work of Myra, she had a height and weight advantage, and it was clear Myra was more shaken by what had happened to Joan than Christina was.

Al and Drew replaced Christina and Myra in the ring.

"Tris, snap out of it, you look awful," Christina said, standing next to her.

"I'm trying," she replied, in a strangulated whisper.

Despite Al's height and breadth, Drew seemed to defeat him quite easily. Probably largely due to the fact Al's heart wasn't in it. Joan's defeat and Al's sensitive nature had seen to that.

Will and Edward returned in time to hear Four say, "Peter and Tris."

Peter almost swaggered onto the mat. Tris made a best attempt at walking purposefully.

The faced each other, and any strategies Tris had tried to develop where nowhere to be found. She felt frozen.

_The only thing in your way, is you_.

Four's words echoed in Tris's mind and she tried to steel herself.

It was too late though, for Peter had made the first move.

First a punch to the side, winding her. Then a kick to the stomach, further inhibiting her breathing.

She doubled up, but Peter pulled her hair, forcing her head up.

Once he had just the right angle he landed a swift uppercut to her jaw, in the exact same spot Joan had hit her the day before.

Tris saw white, but was determined to stay upright.

From somewhere deep down she mustered the determination not to pass out. She did not want to be picked up off the ground and carried away. She wanted to be Dauntless.

Tris made an attempted at elbowing Peter, but she was too unsteady and barely connected with him.

She did however place herself close enough for Peter to grip her and knee her in the stomach.

This sent her straight to the ground, willpower be damned.

Lying on the floor, Tris tried to get up. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Four, and stared at him for a moment, hoping he would intervene. Surely she had been through enough. But Four was not looking.

She could not believe that he was not looking. Her anger gave her the push she needed to get to her feet.

But it was all in vain, Peter had her back on the ground again in seconds, and began kicking her to keep her there, giving her no chance to get up.

With every kick Tris grew closer to passing out. She would not give in though, she would not concede.

"Do something!" she faintly heard someone yell.

Suddenly, the kicking stopped.

Had she passed out?

No, she could hear Four talking.

"That is more than enough!" he snarled. "You job was to disable her, not to almost kill her. Look at her!"

_Yes, look at me. Someone, anyone, a little help_, Tris thought, unable to move.

"She is much smaller than you, as soon as she was down you should have pinned her to the floor," Four continued irate. "You don't get marked highly for nearly killing another recruit. You are marked on how effectively you defeated them. You may have won, but it earned you no respect, and certainly not a high mark."

Tris, mustered all her energy, tried to pick herself up off the floor.

She got half way up, and thought she was going to collapse, but someone grabbed onto her and gently assisted her.

It was Four, but he was not looking at her.

_After everything he said yesterday, I feel like I've let him down. He's clearly disgusted with me, he can't even look at me_, Tris thought woefully, emotional pain quickly adding to her physical pain.

"Christina, Al, take her to the infirmary," Four said flatly. "Everyone else, you're dismissed. Actually, wait."

They all stopped.

"If this **ever** happens again, I mean if anyone causes such deliberate, cruel harm to another recruit again, it will go on their permanent record," Four said severely. "Now, get out of here. We'll be resuming after lunch in training room three."

Christina and Al half carried, half helped Tris to the infirmary, with Will bringing up the rear.

A nurse settled Tris in bed, fixing up her injuries and giving her a strong dose of painkillers.

The three others gathered around her bed.

"Two trips to the infirmary in an hour," Will muttered grimly.

"Oh Tris, you were so brave, I can't believe you weren't unconscious by the end," Christina said emotionally.

"I can't believe Four didn't do anything until Christina yelled at him," Al added in disgust.

"He wasn't even watching!" Christina exclaimed hotly, confirming was Tris had seen from the mat. "He barely looked the whole time. I mean, what kind of instructor does that?"

"Guys, your words are getting kind of blurry," Tris said sluggishly.

"We'll go have lunch, you have a good sleep," Christina said gently. "We'll come back and see you later."

Al lingered a little behind Christina and Will, stopping to give Tris's hand a tender squeeze.

Somewhere in the back of her groggy mind, Tris noted that she would have to do something about Al's apparent growing affection.

A couple of hours later, judging by the clock on the wall, Tris awoke.

Her whole body ached, but she got out of bed determinedly, and put her shoes on.

She would be late, but she would not miss a whole training session.

On her way out, she noticed Joan, lying pale and still in another bed.

Tris walked gingerly to the training room, but as she entered the training room, she held her head high, walking resolutely, each step causing pain.

Her class looked up from their shooting in astonishment.

Four also looked surprised, but also a little impressed.

Tris silently held out her hand for a gun, and he handed one over.

She walked to the vacant target, and took her stance.

Her arms trembled and she bit her lip to cope with the pain.

She used all her concentration and took aim, and fired five bullets in quick succession, almost into the very centre of the target.

She looked up defiantly at her peers, who all quickly looked away. Some impressed, some guilty, some worried and some annoyed.

For the next twenty minutes, Four stood near Tris, apparently keeping an eye on her.

Tris grew steadily more tired and felt more and more pain, the last trace of the painkillers wearing off. She felt a sheen of sweat coat her body.

"That's enough for today," Four yelled. "Everyone but Tris hit the gym. Tris, stay here."

The others clattered out, Christina and Al sneaking concerned looks at Tris.

Presently, Four and Tris were alone.

"Why don't you sit," Four suggested.

"I'll stand," Tris replied shortly.

She would not make herself more weak. Besides, she knew that if she sat down, she'd never get up again.

"Fine," he said shortly. "You are not to train today in the gym. You should not even have left the infirmary this afternoon. You need to allow yourself time to recover. If you're going to lose your focus and let someone get the better of you the way Peter did, and not put up a fight, the least you can do is recover properly.

"How would you even know that I didn't put up a fight, you weren't watching!" she exclaimed shrilly.

Oddly, she didn't even feel at all bad or guilty for yelling at her instructor – just a little bit embarrassed that she had sounded shrilled.

"Do you think I enjoy watching someone take a severe beating?" Four asked coolly, a glimmer of pain in his eyes.

"Then why didn't you stop him, if it was so awful!" Tris cried.

"I just don't know what to do with you," Four said tiredly. "Just go and get some rest, take some more painkillers. I'll see you tomorrow."

He walked out, leaving Tris incredibly confused. One way or another, she would get to the bottom of Four's moods. She couldn't take the whiplash from his mood swings any more. She did not understand him at all. How could someone appear concerned and caring one minute, then removed the next, then disgusted, then protective the next, and then indifferent.

She could not make sense of him at all.

**AN: I was really happy with how this chapter turned out! Hope you enjoyed it too :) Leave a review and let me know if you did :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Thanks for the reviews everyone! (A guest reviewer mentioned that this sounds like Nikita. I don't know what Nikita is, so if this is similar at all, it is by coincidence.) Anyway, this had to be one of the best chapters to write! I hope you all enjoy this interpretation of the book's events :)**

**Chapter 8**

"How do you feel?" Christina asked the next day.

Tris had been lying still in bed for five minutes after the morning alarm had gone off. She had slept badly, having be plagued with nightmares, most of them involving Peter attacking her.

"Sti-," she started to say, and then thought better of it, not after what Peter had taunted her with the day before. "Sore."

"I would think so," Christina replied. "How about you take your time getting ready, take some of those painkillers you got from the infirmary last night, and I'll bring you some breakfast."

"I don't know," Tris said slowly. "I don't want people to think I'm weak, or giving up."

"Oh, for goodness sake, you turned up to training right after being beat up," Christina said dramatically. "You're coming to class today. You're not weak, Tris Prior."

"Then I'd like a bagel and some orange juice," Tris said with a grateful smile.

Twenty minutes later Christina returned, as Tris was gently stretching out her tender limbs.

"You'll never guess what's happened!" Christina exclaimed, setting Tris's food down on the dresser.

"I don't suppose I will," Tris replied with a grin. "Tell me."

"Joan left! She pulled out last night and has gone home, for good," Christina shared animatedly.

"Really?" Tris said, genuinely surprised. "That's awful."

"I guess she decided she wasn't keen on being beaten to a pulp for a living," Christina said wryly.

"So I guess she took a dose of that serum they mention, and they slotted her back into her old life, as if nothing had happened," Tris mused.

"I guess so," Christina agreed. "Come on, eat your food, and let's get to the training room."

They made their way to level 9, Tris trying her best to walk normally, wincing with most movements.

"How long before the painkillers kick in?" Christina asked sympathetically.

"Hopefully no more than five minutes," Tris replied. "I'm starting to feel better, getting the blood flowing."

"Good, it'd suck if you had to have your first weekend here ruined," Christina remarked. "I can't wait to just relax for even a little while."

Tris just nodded, trying to gather herself for their coming training session.

"Hey, I forgot to find out what Four said to you after we all left yesterday!" Christina exclaimed. "You were asleep already when I got back from dinner."

"He just wanted to lecture me on taking the time to heal when injured," Tris replied evenly. "He seems to get a kick out of telling me all that I'm doing wrong."

"Yeah, he's a real tyrant," Christina grumbled.

_Not always_, Tris added silently. _And even then, he's not really tyrannical. Just…fierce, or something._

In their final fight session for the week, Tris was paired with Myra, a fact that greatly relieved her.

Will didn't have to fight, thanks to there being nine recruits, instead of ten, with Joan gone.

"We don't train on the weekend," Four said at the beginning of the session. "I would **strongly** encourage you to try to spend at least an hour each day in the gym though. Today, we're hand-to-hand fighting again. Monday will be our last session of doing this. Your ranks will be announced in the evening after dinner. These will be posted on the noticeboard on the same floor as your dorms. They will also be sent to you on your cells."

The session passed by fairly uneventfully, everyone still subdued from the day before, especially with the departure of Joan, and Four's warnings fresh in their minds.

Peter of course could not resist whispering, "Stiff," a few times with a nasty look at Tris as he passed her around the mat during the morning.

Tris took care to prepare for Myra, willing herself to forget her injuries.

Their fight did not last long, Tris determined to do something to hopefully redeem herself in the rankings. Rankings were essential to succeeding and graduating to be a Dauntless agent, and Tris desperately wanted to achieve that goal.

"Before you head off to lunch," Four added at the end of their session, "We're not doing target practice this afternoon. We're doing something a little more practical."

He seemed to have a lightness in his tone, indicating that what was to come was a good surprise, not a bad one.

"So, meet on level 15 directly after lunch," Four instructed.

There was much speculation among the recruits about what they would be doing after lunch.

"We probably have to fight lions," Al said pessimistically.

"It's not as bad as all that," Christina said breezily. "Cheer up, it's almost the weekend!"

"We should all definitely do something fun tomorrow," Will agreed. "Let's check out the movie rooms, find something to watch."

They made casual plans to meet after lunch, leaving the morning to do things like check in with their parents, keeping their covers stories afloat. Plus, most of them really were looking forward to having some time to speak to their families. Most hadn't left behind a lot of friends, Dauntless picking recruits who didn't have many relationships to hold them to their old lives.

"How are you feeling, Tris?" Al asked considerately.

"Not too bad really," Tris replied with honest ease. "Actually, pretty good, you know."

The others looked sceptically at her, she did look a little worse for wear. However, the combination of painkillers, getting the blood flowing, winning a fight – even against Myra – and the adrenaline linked with their coming surprise training session, had Tris feeling pretty good.

As they made their way to level 15, it appeared as though Eric's recruits were going to level 15 too.

They stepped out onto level 15, into a foyer area.

Four and Eric were both standing there. Behind them was the rest of the level, seemingly completely blocked off, the entrance through a single doorway.

It took a few minutes for all of the recruits to assemble, and Four and Eric waited still and silent.

"Attention," Eric barked sharply. "Legacies, and newbies, you will be training together today."

Christina and Tris exchanged a meaningful glance and eye roll at this description. Eric's recruits were obviously the 'legacies' and they were the 'newbies'.

"We will be engaging in a session of capture the flag, laser tag style," Four informed them. "We will break up into two teams – with Eric and me as your leaders. You will be picked one by one."

"Before we begin, you will be outfitted in special vests, and given laser guns," Eric continued. "Your vest records when you are hit by another recruit. You as an individual will receive a score from today, and each team will get a cumulative score."

"Today is a test to see how well you can apply your target practice in a field like situation. Each team has a base, where their flag is kept. The objective is to steal the opposing team's flag and get it back to your base," Four explained. "If you receive several hits, a hit that would for example, kill you, or wound you seriously, your vest will stop your moment, and you will be out for a minute or so."

"We will be playing across two levels, this level, and level 16," Eric added. "These two floors are designed specifically for this style of training. There are many and varied objected to hide behind, to shield yourself from enemy fire. There are two flights of stairs that are to be used to travel between the two levels – there are no elevators in play."

"Before play starts officially, you and your team will decide on a base, and put your flag securely there. If you are wise, you will also use this time to strategise," Four said unsmilingly. "A siren will sound three times in quick succession, signally we have started play. We will now pick our teams. Eric and I will first pick from my recruits, then his recruits."

"Peter," Eric said quickly, and unsurprisingly.

Peter sauntered to stand on Eric's side of the room.

"Tris," Four said clearly, surprising everyone, including Tris.

_So, either he wants to teach me another lesson, or maybe he wants to keep an eye on me_, Tris mused, moving to stand with Four.

"Edward."

"Will."

"Molly."

"Christina."

"Al."

"Drew."

And so on it went.

"And I guess that leaves Myra with me," Eric said in a bored tone.

The legacies were then picked, Tris noticing with interest that Four picked Uriah. Also among their team members they had a pretty girl called Marlene. She was vivacious, excited energy flowed from her.

As they put on their vests Uriah said teasingly to Tris, "So, I guess we'll get to see what you're made of. All we know now is that you bruise pretty easily."

"Four picked her first, so she must be good for something," Marlene pointed out, her words sounding a little less than complimentary.

Their words made Tris realise that this was her chance to stand out, to prove herself. She was a pretty good shot, she was smart, she was fast and fit, and people tended to underestimate her. She was determined to do well, better than well. It was time to stop thinking, to stop questioning, and just **do**. No one would question her place in Dauntless anymore.

Four led his team into level 15, with Eric taking his team to level 16, to start from there.

The room was dimly lit, their vests stood out, designed to do so in the lighting.

The expansive area had various formations all through it, at varying levels, as Eric had mentioned, with plenty of options for hiding their flag.

"I guess Four has a thing for runts," Uriah jabbed, looking around at their team.

"I guess that makes you a runt too," Will retorted.

Tris looked around. Four had picked the slightest of the recruits. She knew however, that Will, Christina and Uriah (judging from his quick wit), were all smart. She decided Four was going for brains over brawn. Eric had obviously picked the strongest **looking** team.

"Shut it," Christina ordered. "Let's make a plan. There's no time to waste."

"Four, are you going to give us any help at all?" Marlene asked, smiling beguilingly at him.

"I'll give help where it's necessary, Marlene," Four said shortly. "I'd like to see you lot show some direction for starters."

This prompted the entire team to talk at once, shouting their ideas over the top of each other.

Their time wasting irritated Tris, and it occurred to her that they didn't have their flag yet.

She walked away from her rowdy peers and stood next to Four.

"Can I have the flag?" she asked quietly.

He looked at her with a smile, and handed to her.

"Cart before the horse, hey?" he said, sounding more like a friend than her instructor.

Tris nodded, too focused on her goal to spend time figuring out which version of Four she was with.

_Just do, _she thought.

Tris looked around the room, and quickly picked out the highest spot on the floor.

It was built up above many of the other climbing, and varying semi levels, with a high panel that would be good to hide behind. Hopefully, there would be a secure hiding spot for the flag up there.

Tris moved off, eager to find out.

She moved quickly, knowing that the siren would sound at any time, and Eric's team would be after them.

Her team mates did not notice her departure.

Four of course had, and Tris realised that he had decided to follow her.

He wasn't stopping her, so she just kept going.

They weaved through the obstacles in the room, Tris moving lightly on her feet.

They moved from semi level, to semi level, picking their way up to the top platform.

Once there, Tris stopped, and surveyed the area from their new spot.

"What are you doing?" Four asked quietly.

"High ground," Tris answered. "This way, they have to come to us. Some people can guard the flag, with the advantage of the high ground. There's a good panel here to hide behind too."

"Are you planning on informing your team mates?" Four asked in amusement.

"I'm kind of enjoying the fact that they're still arguing," Tris replied with a grin.

Tris looked around, looking for the best place to hide their flag.

She noticed a vent, high up in the wall, and an idea struck her.

"Boost me up," she said suddenly.

"What? Where?" Four asked, looking surprised.

"Up there. If you boost me onto the highest panel next to the wall, I should be able to tie the flag into that vent," Tris explained. "Come on, quick! The siren will go off soon, and we need to be ready."

"Fine," Four agreed quickly. "But be careful, the ledge on top of that panel looks narrow."

Four boosted Tris up, and she scrambled to get a holding and heave herself up onto the ledge.

Once up, she edged her way along, as fast as possible, and reached the wall quickly.

She tied the flag around the vent quickly, and then grinned down at Four in triumph.

She thought she he was looking at her, impressed. She didn't have time to decide though, for the siren sounded, three loud blasts, coming from a speaker right next to the vent.

Right next to Tris's ear.

The noise startled her badly, and she lost her footing on the narrow ledge, slipping and falling.

She waited the ground with a sickening thud, but it never came.

Four had caught her, strong arms securing her to his chest.

She opened her eyes, chest heaving with quick breaths and looked at him.

He was staring at her too, an unreadable expression on his face.

She smiled sheepishly at him, and he set her down, her body sliding a little down his at he did so. She could feel his toned body underneath his uniform.

"At least it's in a good spot," Tris said, shrugging.

"At least I caught you and your neck isn't broken," Four retorted, but not stingingly. "Look, the others have been startled out of their stupidity by the siren. Why don't you call them up here?"

Tris stuck her head up over one of the panels and whistled.

Her team mates looked up, and she beckoned to them.

They came at a run, knowing that Eric's team could be anywhere.

They arrived, short of breath, and a little pissed off.

"What are you two doing up here?" Christina asked crossly.

"Hiding the flag, and finding a great position to defend it from," Four told her coolly. "You should thank Tris. Without her, you'd all be screwed."

The others looked a Tris with a mixture of respect and irritation.

"Half of us should guard the flag, the others should try to find the other flag," Tris suggested, ignoring their looks.

"Who died and made you in charge?" Drew said rudely.

"Nice to see you're volunteering to guard the flag," Four said authoritatively. "Will, Marlene, you stay with him too. Tris has picked a spot with good panels to hide behind, and your opponents will have to come to you, making it easier for you to shoot them."

Tris looked at Four, grateful that he was backing her up. With his help, she was on her way to convincing her team members that she was capable, that she was Dauntless material. It appeared that Four believed that she was. Maybe he always had, and he was just waiting for her to believe it. Regardless, he seemed to be on her side.

"The rest of you, you're with me. We're going after Eric's team, and their flag," Four commanded. "Let's get out from here, before they can make their way through and see us coming down."

They followed Four's lead, running from concealing panel to panel, laser gun poised and ready to aim if necessary.

"Will they have made their base on level 16?" Christina asked, once they were on the base level of the floor.

"They have to," Uriah supplied.

"That's right," Four affirmed.

"So, which stairwell should we try to access it from?" Tris asked.

"I think- ," Christina began, but Tris cut her off, answering her question herself.

"We should use the door furthest from where our flag is," Tris decided.

Christina was looking at Tris like she wasn't sure who the commanding girl in front of her was. Gone was the weak girl of the last couple of days. Tris just hoped Christina could deal with the change, because Tris liked the feeling of power she was experiencing. She had control over herself, which allowed her to exert control over the situation.

"Right," Four agreed. "We can't know which stairwell they'll be coming down, but we should go to the other end of the floor. If we're attacked, we want them to at least think they're looking in the right spot."

They ran for the other end of the room, and approached the stairwell in a few minutes.

Tris moved to go in first, but Four put a hand on her arm, stopping her.

"Let me," he said. "I'll go first. All of you, follow me down. I'll try ward off enemy fire, if there is any. If any of us are hit, and immobilised, continue on. We'll meet up again, the area isn't _that_ big."

They entered the stairwell behind Four, guns at the ready. Four moved stealthily up the flight of internal stairs, the others shadowing his movements.

They encountered no one in the stairwell, and made their way quickly out onto level 16, diving for cover.

"Where to now?" Christina asked in a low voice.

Four looked at Tris, waiting for her to answer.

"Let's go further in, and see what we find. We need to get to somewhere near the middle, so we can see where to best place to go from there is," Tris decided.

With that, Tris began moving forward, making her way between concealing panels and obstacles.

A minute or so later they came under fire, Tris first noticing their opponents when a laser beam hit the panel right next to her.

She ducked, calling, "Enemy fire!"

She and her team mates took cover, and returned fire.

Tris fired rapidly, ducking around her panel, trying to shoot at the members of the other team.

Suddenly, a queer sensation filled her, and her vest gave a little shudder, and she realised she'd taken a hit.

"Get behind me," Four muttered, making a quick move to stand in front of her, having seen her hit. "I'll cover you."

"I can handle myself," Tris insisted.

"We don't need you immobilised now," Four retorted. "Just do what I say."

She let him, and took the opportunity to survey their surroundings.

"We need to make a run for the highest point on this level," Tris said, her voice low and close to Four's ear. "There's no way we can beat them otherwise."

"Right," Four agreed. "Christina, Uriah, here!"

The four of them headed off, Four and Uriah covering the girls, immobilising their opponents as they did. There were only two of them.

"Must have been scouts," Uriah suggested.

They raced to the high ground, encountering no one.

"Boost me," Tris commanded Four once again.

He hesitated, then said, "Uriah, you spot Tris while I lift her. Christina, you're on look out duty."

Once up, Tris quickly scanned the floor, spotting the enemy base way off in a far corner of the food.

"There, I'm pretty sure I can see a guard, and their flag, way off in the farthest corner," she said.

"Just one guard?" Christina mused. "And backed into a corner?"

"Stupid," Uriah muttered.

"Don't be so sure," Four said warningly. "Eric may be a brute, but he's still a highly ranked agent. We were in the same recruit class."

"What was he ranked?" Christina asked curiously, as they paused for a minute, after letting Tris down.

"He was second," Four answered.

"And you were first, weren't you?" Tris guessed. "That's why he doesn't like you, and is always trying to best you."

"Yes," Four said simply. "Let's get going. Eric won't have left the flag unguarded. Quite the opposite. If he's chosen to leave in a corner, then it's very heavily guarded, starting from quite a way out. We'll need to take down each member of the other team to get a chance at their flag. I'm guessing only a couple of them have gone after our flag. They think they're all bigger and stronger, and will overpower us easily."

They moved out, making quickly for the far corner, still taking care to cover each other, and hide behind convenient panels.

As they got close, they started to receive enemy fire, growing steadily as they returned it.

Tris kept pressing forward ahead of the others, getting a better position, and making a couple of shots that immobilised two of the other team.

Four took out another, and they moved closer.

"We need to get these others down now, before they're able to move again," Tris commanded.

She rushed forward, taking Edward out with a shot to the centre of his vest, stopping him in his tracks.

Suddenly, a girl was before her, a legacy, and Tris had nowhere to duck.

She was shot twice in the chest area of her vest, and could not move.

Four cursed and took the other girl out with a couple of quick shots.

He stood next to Tris, covered by a panel.

"Uriah, Christina, go on ahead, there must only be one or two left. Take them out and get the flag," Four instructed.

"You need to go too!" Tris insisted.

"No, I need to stay here, and make sure none of the rest of them get to move again and try to protect their flag," Four retorted. "And I have to see that nothing else happens to you."

Tris huffed, but did not protest. He was right, and she knew it.

As soon as any of the other team moved, Four hit them again, dead centre of the chest, stopping them immediately.

Tris felt a little jolt go through her, and realised she could move again.

"Come on," she said, grabbing Four by the arm. "They must be at the flag now."

They reached the corner just in time to see Christina hoist the flag above her head.

They had won, and the lighting level returned to a normal brightness.

Tris had done everything to ensure their win, and had been denied being the one to actually grab the flag. Now she would just be the immobilised girl who got left behind and missed the finish.

**AN: So, what did you think? :) Thanks for reading! **

**(I'm posting pretty much every 5 days, but if I get ten reviews on any chapter, I'll post as soon as the 10th review is up :))**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Well, we reached ten reviews for the last chapter, so here is the next one as promised, lovely readers! Thanks for the great feedback on the last chapter :) Hope you enjoy this one!**

**Chapter 9**

After the game was over, the entire group left together, and headed for the dining hall, all tired and hungry.

It was the first time though, that the recruits felt unified, instead of two separate groups.

"Uriah said we won thanks to you," Marlene said, coming up next to Tris.

Tris shrugged, trying to be casual, but really pleased. "Thanks. I just did what I thought was best."

"Well, you had really good ideas that worked, and man can you shoot," Uriah enthused.

"Would you listen to those two," Christina said with a smirk, from Tris's other side.

Four and Eric were quarrelling over who should have actually won. Well, Eric was really the only one talking, trying to discredit Four's team's victory, making excuses and throwing insults.

Four merely looked with irritation at Eric, and refused to take on his words.

Once in the dining all, Uriah and Marlene surprisingly sat down with Tris and her friends.

"Lynn!" Marlene called, waving a girl over – the girl who had immobilised Tris in capture the flag.

"We're sitting with them now?" Lynn asked, setting her tray down.

"Tris is cool," Uriah said. "Besides, it's just a meal."

"This is Christina," Tris said, in an effort to include her friends. "And that's Will, and Al."

She didn't really feel like including Christina, truth be told, after she got the flag, after Tris had really earned it. Still, she was getting a fair share of credit, so she decided to try and be the bigger person.

"And now we all know each other. Super," Marlene said breezily.

"So how was it, working with Four?" Lynn asked eagerly.

"He's way less of an ass than Eric," Marlene supplied. "And much hotter, of course."

This was said with a fiendish giggle.

Tris listened attentively, curious at their perspective on things.

"Did you know he and Eric were in the same recruit class?" Uriah added. "I knew they were massive rivals, but I didn't know that. Four told us that he was ranked one, and Eric two."

"That's why Eric's always hating on Four!" Marlene exclaimed. "When did he tell you about being ranked above Eric?"

"When we were out capturing the flag, right after Tris had been scaling walls and stuff looking for the other team's base," Uriah explained airily.

"So, they're kind of legendary around here? Their rivalry that is?" Tris asked curiously.

Christina, Al and Will were all listening in eagerly, the information the 'legacies' possessed was eye-opening.

"Not just their rivalry, they are a big deal," Marlene explained. "Plus, let's face it, Four is super hot."

"Eric would be hot too, if he wasn't such an ass," Lynn added.

"Mar, Lynn, let's skip the assessment of their abs, please," Uriah said with a groan.

"It's okay Uriah, we still love you, and you're just as hot," Marlene said playfully, giving Uriah's arm a consoling stroke.

Uriah perked up and said, "Yeah, anyway. Eric and Four have had this rivalry going for ages, mainly fuelled by Eric being a jealous ass. And now we know why. They're also only a couple of years older than us, and two of the top ranked agents."

"How do you know all this?" Will asked curiously.

"My brother, Zeke, was a recruit the same year as Four, and Eric too I guess. He's Four's best friend, and they're field partners," Uriah shared, his tone a little superior.

"So that's how it is when you're a cool kid," Al said in a whisper to Tris, who grinned in reply.

Dinner finished, and on their way out Uriah said to Tris, "Oh, Zeke's having a party tomorrow night, up in one of the common rooms, on the floor where agents sleep. You should come. Level 19, any time after 8. Bring your friends, if you want."

"Sounds good," Tris replied. "Thanks. It might be cool to see what we've got to look forward to."

Uriah grinned, and nodded at her in parting.

"Did you just get us invited to a party tomorrow night?" Christina asked excitedly.

"Yep," Tris said, a little smugly. It felt good to be their 'in', because of her hard work.

"You're the best!" Christina squealed. "Imagine. A Dauntless party, for agents. It exists, and we're going!"

"Yeah," Tris said, stifling a yawn. "I think I'm going to go take a shower, get ready for bed."

"It's been a long week," Christina agreed. "I should send my mom a text or something tonight. I'll call her tomorrow, but I don't want her to worry."

"Good idea," Tris agreed, as they walked to their dorm. She felt bad for thinking so little about keeping in contact with her family. She missed them of course, and her ravens were a constant reminder of them, and a way to keep them with her, but she hadn't made much of an effort to keep in touch with them.

Once in their dorm, Tris gathered her toiletries to head to the shower.

Her body had begun to ache with injury and fatigue, the length of the day and week hitting her hard.

As she went to walk out the door Christina said, "Hey. I'm sorry you weren't the one to get the flag. You deserved it. If it's any consolation, everyone knows it. Four knows it was all you. And Uriah seems to have told everyone else. You were great today."

"Thanks," Tris said, with a genuine smile. "I'm glad you're my friend, I've never really had a friend like you before. Or any friends, really."

They shared a warm look, and then Tris headed for the bathroom.

As she let the hot water flow over her body, she began to relax, both her body and her mind. She could finally have some down time and get ready to enjoy her first weekend as a part of Dauntless. She had made great progress in her first week, made friends, enemies, earned peoples respect, and she had learned a lot about herself, and about becoming a Dauntless agent.

The next morning, Tris and Christina enjoyed a luxurious sleep in, not waking until after 8 a.m.

They dressed in casual clothes, and then had a leisurely, late breakfast.

They went their separate ways after breakfast.

Tris had intended to go straight to the computer lab, to Skype or email her parents. Instead, she decided to drop by the tattoo parlour. She wanted another tattoo, something to signify her allegiance to Dauntless.

Not too long later she walked out with the words animos, fortitudo and constantiam inked in cursive on her shoulder. They were the characteristics of Dauntless in Latin – courage, bravery and fearlessness.

Tris then headed to the nearest computer lab, located by courtesy of her all knowing cell phone.

There she wrote a long email to her parents, using vagaries combined with fact, to describe her first week away from home. She mentioned new friends, new experiences, but moulded them to fit her supposed college life. She included a picture of her dorm, in an attempt to make her parents really feel like they knew where she was and what she was up to.

Tris then headed to the gym, in the hope of getting a good work out in, and maybe seeing Tori.

She changed into her gym gear, which she had collected from her dorm on her way to the gym.

There were a handful of other agents and recruits around, obviously trying to maintain the discipline they practised during the week.

She started first on the treadmill, settling quickly into an easy rhythm.

Tris had missed her daily run, and had been glad when gym workouts were incorporated into their daily training. Missing this newly returned joy had been painful for her after her injury on Thursday.

Tris had decided to start to build up her body strength, working in upper body weights into her workouts.

As she headed to the weights area, she met Tori.

"Hey Tris, how're things?" she asked genuinely.

"Great!" Tris replied enthusiastically. "It's been quite a week."

"You seem like you're really starting to fit in here," Tori commented. "How about I help you put together a training schedule? I get the feeling you've never really worked with weights."

Tris agreed quickly, grateful for Tori's help.

Tris joined her friends at their usual table for lunch, once she'd finished at the gym and showered afterwards.

"So, we figured we'd find one of those media rooms and watch a movie after lunch," Will said, when Tris joined them. "Then grab some dinner before the party."

"I guess Christina wasted no chance telling you about that," Tris said with a grin.

"Are you kidding? She messaged us both last night," Al said with a chuckle.

"What?" Christina said with a playful pout. "Excitement about a party is normal. You guys are just dull."

"Here's to hoping none of the others were invited, or heard about the party," Al said hopefully. "The best thing about the weekend is the holiday from Drew, Peter and Molly."

The others chuckled grimly in agreement.

The four of them made a merry quartet on their way up to a vacant movie room.

There were quite a number of movie rooms on the 12th floor, where the computer labs also were. Most of the movie rooms where about the size of a small practice music room, with a flat screen and DVD player in the front, and a couple of couches further back from the TV. There were several larger movie rooms, for bigger groups of people, but there was usually not a need for that many people.

Tris, Christina, Al and Will settled down in a room with a big, long, couch, all spreading comfortably around.

Their movie started, and they dimmed the lights.

Tris snuggled comfortably into her section of the lounge, ready to enjoy the simple luxury of the movie.

Toward the end of the movie, Tris realised that Al and moved right up next to her on the couch, and had his arm up on the back of the couch behind her.

Tris stiffened at his advances, and hoped his arm would not slip around her shoulders.

It did.

Tris sat there, unsure of how to remove his arm. She could not encourage his feelings, not when there was no chance of her ever returning them.

"I need to go to the bathroom," Tris whispered, standing.

She scurried out of the room, and paused outside it, sighing in relief.

Instead of going to the bathroom, she waited quietly for ten minutes, allowing enough time to pass to make her 'bathroom break' realistic.

Tris walked back into the room in time to see the credits roll.

Will and Christina were already standing, laughing about something.

"You missed the end!" Christina exclaimed. "It was so good."

"Except for the fact it was totally predictable," Will teased.

Tris smiled at them, as they walked out of the room, bantering.

"Hey Al, can we talk?" Tris asked when they were alone.

She had decided she would take the bull by the horns. It was one thing to be courageous, brave or fearless, but it was another to do it without hurting a friend's feelings. She wanted to talk to Al in a straightforward manner, without crushing him. He was sensitive, despite his strapping figure.

"Sure," Al agreed, a little tentatively.

"It's this way Al," Tris said simply. "I just want to concentrate on my training at the moment, without getting involved romantically with anyone. I don't want to give you hope for later down the line, so it's best that you also know that I think of you only as a friend."

Al looked a little green.

"Are we okay?" Tris asked awkwardly.

"Yeah, sure," Al said weakly. "I get it."

"I still want us to be friends," Tris said earnestly.

Al just nodded and walked out.

_Well, that went well. I think I've had more fun at the gynaecologist_, Tris thought morosely.

Tris wandered back to her dorm room to get ready for dinner and the party.

"Tris, where did you end up?" Christina asked curiously, as soon as she entered the room.

"What, you missed me?" Tris teased. "I thought you would have been too busy flirting with Will."

"Shut up," Christina said, sticking her tongue out. "He is cute though, isn't he?"

"Yes, very cute," Tris agreed easily. "But don't worry, he's not my type. He's all yours."

Christina winked at her and said, "Don't think I've forgotten about your absence. Were you will Al?"

"Yeah, we had to have a chat," Tris said awkwardly.

"Sometimes you just have to let them down," Christina said sympathetically, assessing the situation quickly and astutely. "Do you have your eye on anyone else?"

"I'm not chasing anyone else, if that's what you mean," Tris said truthfully. "I just want to do well in training, rank well, and go on to become a great agent."

"And I will be in charge of making sure you have some fun along with way," Christina said merrily. "Starting with this party tonight. I'm doing your hair and make up, and making sure you have a hot outfit."

Tris submitted to Christina, and allowed her to work her magic, including being coaxed into wearing a little black dress of Christina's. It was about mid-thigh length, with a black lace overlay, and little cap sleeves. It sat nicely on Tris's trim figure. It also had a fairly low back, low enough to at least show off her new tattoo on her shoulder. The front also had a scoop neck, allowing her ravens to be on display.

"There, you look great," Christina said triumphantly.

Tris scrutinised herself in the mirror, and agreed that she looked nice enough, though she wouldn't go so far as to say great.

Well, so long as she held her own with the others at the party, she would be fine.

**AN: Thanks for reading :) Little bit of a cliff hanger here ;) Only in that you have to wait until the next chapter for the party! **


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Hi all, thanks to those who reviewed and favourited/followed. You guys are the best and I hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

**Chapter 10**

Tris and Christina entered the party room on level 19, walking in to see quite a collection of younger agents, and to hear music pumping. There seemed to be plenty of alcohol around, with most people having a cup or bottle in their hand.

Almost immediately, Tris spotted Four, talking with Zeke and another girl in the corner. He must have felt her eyes on him, as he looked up and saw her, surprise registering in his eyes. He had obviously not expected to see her there.

Tris sighed, and turned to greet Uriah, who had just pressed a drink into her hand.

Tris took a tentative sip, and deciding that it didn't taste too bad, kept drinking.

Tris spent the first bit of the party talking with Marlene, who seemed to have accepted her wholly. Christina however had gone off to meet more people, and was hanging out with Will and Al. Al had been pointedly avoiding Tris, and sneaking hostile looks at her. Tris didn't really care, she thought it was childish, and it didn't really put a dampener on her evening. Al had been a good friend, but it was up to him whether or not he chose to get over how things were between them.

"So no one cares that you guys throw parties, and drink, and let the under age agents drink?" Tris asked Marlene curiously.

"Well, it is frowned on by some of the more senior agents, but it's not forbidden," Marlene answered. "See, we have such complicated, risky lives as Dauntless agents, so when we're here, they don't mind if we blow off steam. This place is a safe haven for agents, and training is kind of a down time for them. It's still a mission – of sorts – but a low risk one, with little chance for complications."

"Makes sense," Tris agreed.

"And it's fun!" Marlene enthused. "Come on, you should meet some people."

So Marlene, to Tris's alarm, led Tris right over to where Four was leaning against a wall, with some friends.

"Tris, this is Uriah's brother, Zeke," Marlene said. "And Lynn's sister Shauna. Tris was on our capture the flag team, and was the reason we beat Eric."

Marlene of course did not bother introducing Tris to Four, and Four acknowledged her presence with a nod.

"Uriah mentioned that," Zeke said with an easy grin, much like his brother's. "Insisted that you and your friends should come tonight, actually. Said you were pretty good, for a newbie."

Tris blushed lightly and said, "Oh, I just did what had to be done, I guess."

"Nice to see you again, Tris," Shauna added cordially.

Tris then recognised her as the 'receptionist' from her interview back in the spring.

"Oh, hey," Tris said lamely. "Sorry I didn't recognise you."

"No worries," Shauna said easily. "You shouldn't play down your involvement, you know. If they say you're good, enjoy it."

"We don't want to over inflate her confidence though," Four interjected unexpectedly, his tone unreadable.

"Oh, stop being an uptight instructor for a night, Four," Zeke said, socking his friend lightly in the arm. "The best of us are naturally cocky anyway. Give her a chance to develop some arrogance."

Tris grinned at this, and stared defiantly at Four.

Four just shook his head, a shadow of a grin on his lips.

Just then, Uriah came up and slung an arm around both Tris and Marlene.

"There should be dancing!" Uriah declared, his words about one drink away from sounding slurred. He looked expectantly from Tris to Marlene.

"Come on, you big idiot," Marlene said playfully. "We'll start the dancing!"

Zeke and Shauna followed them to a clear spot of the floor, and thus, there was dancing.

Four and Tris were suddenly alone, or as alone as you can be in a room full of people.

"Where are your friends?" Four asked curiously. "Found ones you like better?"

"No, I'm just making new ones," Tris answered shortly.

"Well, these new friends may be fun, but remember who were your friends before you were 'cool'," Four advised, almost grimly.

"What would you know?" Tris said hotly. "I don't plan on choosing my friends based on how popular they are. I'm doing my best to fit in here, and I'll do that how I see fit. I'm sure you've always been popular and had plenty of friends, so I don't think you get to comment on my method of making friends."

"Tris, look, I didn't mean it like that," Four said, his tone frustrated.

"Well, what did you mean?" Tris retorted. "Or did you just want to scold me some more? Do you get some sort of pleasure from lecturing me? Just when I think I'm really settling in or doing well, you manage to give me a hard time about something!"

"You still don't get it, do you?" Four said in exasperation, taking a long drink from his bottle.

"What's there to get? You lecture me, you scold me, you ignore me," Tris said hotly. "Then other times you're helpful, and protective, almost kind. Sometimes you look at me like I'm something special, and other times I think you're disgusted with me. Obviously, you just enjoy torturing me."

"I need another drink," Four said grimly.

"You're not going to answer me?" Tris asked.

"Not now," Four said a little wretchedly. "I can't do this now."

Tris stood by herself for a few minutes, trying to compose herself.

To her surprise, Four rejoined her.

"I don't lecture you because I enjoy it. I do it for your own good. I'm your instructor, I need to teach you. I need to teach you to be more conscious of your own safety. You take too many risks, sometimes I think you have a death wish," Four said, without a trace of humour. "Being Dauntless doesn't mean being reckless constantly. Bravery doesn't equate to irresponsibility and carelessness. You need to be brave and courageous, but you also need to think clearly, act in the way that will best achieve your end goal. Some times this means pausing and thinking. That's why I keep talking to you, about being focused, about thinking before acting, about how best you use your natural talents. You're doing well, but you can be better."

Tris stood there, listening in shocked silence. There in that noisy room, with so many other things going on around them, he'd finally explained his hot and cold attitude toward her. Well, partly. He'd at least explained his constant lectures, but not why he chopped and changed between lectures, then apparent partiality for her.

"Okay," Tris said slowly. "But why be nice, then so harsh?"

"I think we've discussed this enough for now, and especially here," Four said evasively. "You're starting to get looks."

Tris looked where he was looking, and saw Al, Will and Christina all looking in their direction.

"You mean we're starting to get looks," Tris contradicted. "And I don't care."

"Maybe you should," Four countered seriously.

"Well, I don't," Tris insisted stubbornly, impulsively placing a hand on Four's arm. "That's not who I am."

Four looked intently at her for a moment, and then looked away, breaking the brief spell.

"Well, I care. I shouldn't add fuel to the fire," Four said, immediately leaving her side.

Tris was left alone, mind spinning, trying to gain composure, for the second time in an hour that evening.

After her interaction with Four, the party ceased to hold much allure for Tris. There was no point in trying to make conversation with her friends, they were too busy talking, and probably about her. Besides, she was sure it was best she steered clear of Al for the time being.

Tris decided it was about time for her to leave the party. She was too frustrated with Four to stick around any longer. He had answered some of her questions, but raised almost more new ones that he'd answered.

So she went, but she did not head straight back to her dorm.

Her mind was too busy, she was too alert, and quite buzzed from whatever alcohol she had consumed.

She wandered the halls, roaming from level to level, with no real purpose.

It was quite late when she had left the party, and it had grown later still during her wandering.

Tris wasn't entirely sure which level see was on, just that it was dark and quiet, when she was suddenly grabbed by two undiscernible figures. She instinctively knew however that they were Peter and Drew.

She tried to fight them off, but they dragged her to a dark corner and pressed her hard up against the wall, Drew securing her there, with one hand over her mouth to keep her quiet.

She tried to scream, but she made little noise against Drew's hand.

"You think you're invincible now, don't you? You think that you do well in one thing, and make friends with the other recruits, that you're something special?" Peter hissed angrily. "Well, you're not, you're nothing, no one, and soon, you will cease to exist."

Terror raced through Tris, fully believing that Peter was capable of killing her, if he wanted.

There was also no way she could escape from him and Drew, not with the two of them cornering her against a wall, with them being much bigger than her.

"Look at you, dressed in your tight, slutty dress, thinking you're all that," Peter continued. "Well, I've got news for you, you're not."

He hiked her dress up, running his hand along her torso, moving up towards her chest.

"Not much going on here," Peter said snidely. "I don't know why anyone would bother looking twice at you."

He then surprised her by slapping her hard across the face, Drew removing his hand just in time.

The pain was blinding, but she was alert enough to scream when she had the chance with Drew's hand gone.

Peter's response was to knee her in the stomach.

Tris groaned, and let out a small moan.

"You, you're going to cost me the top ranking, with Four favouring you," Peter said angrily, adding another hard blow to her stomach.

She expected yet another blow to come, but it didn't. In fact, Peter and Drew had both let go of her and she slumped to her floor.

She heard the sound of fist hitting flesh, curses of pain coming from Drew and Peter.

Tris just curled up quietly against the wall, trying to hold herself together, happy to let whoever had come to her rescue beat Peter and Drew to death if they wanted.

She heard two sets of feet make their way off down the corridor, and then she was scooped up into a pair of strong arms.

Four.

"I thought you hated me," she said weakly.

"I could never hate you," he said softly.

"Then why, why won't you tell me why you blow so hot and cold?" Tris asked faintly, her head lolling to his shoulder.

Four didn't say anything, but just held her close and continued to carry her, eventually setting her down on a bed.

"I don't hate you," he reaffirmed. "It's just that, I'm not supposed to feel this way about you. I don't know how to cope with it. And as much as I care about you, I have to be your instructor too. But I don't know how to do that, so I keep stuffing it up. I don't hate you, you don't disgust me. If anything, I disgust myself. You frustrate me sometimes, but mostly because I want to help you, but I have to let you make your own way here."

"Feel what way?" Tris asked, perplexed.

"I care about you, probably too much," Four confessed, running a hand distractedly through his hair. "But you know now, and I can't go on pretending I don't care. At least not to you. If no one else can know, at least for now, I need you to finally understand."

"I think I do," Tris said quietly, her head sinking into the pillow of the bed she was on. "Where did you bring me?"

"This is my room, I needed somewhere you wouldn't be bothered," Four explained gently. "Drew and Peter won't hurt you anymore, I took care of them."

"You won't tell anyone, will you? About this?" Tris asked, sitting up, and wincing. "I don't want anyone to know what they did to me. I don't want anyone to think of me like that, weak."

Four looked uncertainly at her, and then nodded. "Okay. I won't say anything. And I doubt they will. I gave them a pretty clear message, even if they don't know it was me."

"Thank you," Tris said, relieved.

"Are you okay?" Four suddenly asked, having forgotten her physical well being while they were caught up in their emotional complexes. "I mean, nothing's broken? They didn't, ah…"

"Nothing worse than anything that's happened in training. I'll just be sore in the morning," Tris replied.

"Good. You should get some sleep," Four told her. "Stay there, I'll sleep on the couch. I'm not leaving you tonight."

He gently stroked her forehead once, then puller the covers over her.

Tris fell asleep, feeling oddly peaceful, Four's presence providing her a sense of security and comfort.

**AN: Thanks for reading! Please review :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: thanks to those who reviewed :) Hope you enjoy this chapter! Happay Australia Day to all you Aussies!**

**Chapter 11**

When Tris awoke the next morning, she was momentarily disorientated, until she caught side of Four, who was sitting quietly, reading the paper.

She had slept rather soundly, which had surprised her. She had expected to have at least one nightmare, but Four's presence seemed to have kept her safe from her own mind during the night.

"Good morning," Tris said sleepily. "What time is it?"

"Only about 8. How are you feeling? Did you sleep well?" Four asked, putting down the paper.

"A little sore," Tris admitted.

"Here, take these, you'll feel better soon," Four said, handing her some pills and a glass of water.

"This is a nice room," Tris commented, sitting up and looking around. "Is this what I have to look forward to?"

"It depends if you plan to live here full time or not," Four answered.

"So, you live here always?" Tris asked curiously.

"Only when I'm not on a mission," Four answered. "Some agents have cover stories that allow them to live out of the compound, or stay with their families when it suits, but that's not for me."

"Well, this is certainly nicer than my dorm, or my room at home," Tris said, sensing he didn't want to talk more about why he lived in the compound and not with his family.

The room was large, including a small, two-person table, the couch Four had slept on, a little kitchenette and an en suite.

"It's supposed to be," Four pointed out in amusement. "You earn this."

They were silent for a minute, both seemingly lost in thought.

"You know," Four began. "You can be strong, without aggravating your enemies. I'm not saying what happened last night was right, because it wasn't, it was terribly wrong. But it was what I meant about you taking unnecessary risks. What happens if you end up in trouble I can't get you out of?"

"I know, what I did last night was stupid," Tris agreed quietly. "And I think I get what you've been trying to explain to me, finally. I couldn't see it until you spelled it all out for me."

Four moved and sat next to her on his bed.

"I know you'll want to defy Peter, really stick it to him when you see him next, and when training resumes on Monday, but I really want you to think about just laying low," Four suggested cautiously.

"They attacked me because they think I'm weak!" Tris protested. "They made me look weak, and now you want me to let them think they've won?"

"No, no. Defying them isn't the only way to win. I want you to not aggravate them, and find a better way to prove yourself. Make up with your friends, stick with them, they'll make sure there's no opportunity for Peter to attack you again like last night," Four suggested.

"My friends!" Tris exclaimed. "I forgot about Christina. She's going to wonder where I was all night."

"I took care of Christina, she thinks you were in the infirmary all night," Four said reassuringly. "She is expecting to see you after breakfast."

"Thank you," Tris said in relief. "What do I say if she, or anyone, asks me about you? They'll have questions after last night, I'm sure."

"It'd be best if they didn't know about whatever is going on between us," Four said slowly. "It will make training a lot harder for you. People will give you a hard time, and the senior agents won't like it."

"And what is this?" Tris asked him through lowered lashes. She had never been romantically involved with anyone before, and was lost about how to move forward.

"We'll figure it out, in time. So, just take care of yourself, okay? I'd like you to live long enough to figure it out, that's for sure," Four said half jokingly, half seriously. "I'll see you later, okay? I have a meeting now, and you should go and find your friends. Just lock the door on your way out."

Four gave her a swift but tender kiss on the forehead, and left.

Tris put her shoes on and made her way quickly back to her dorm, managing not to see anyone, concluding most people where enjoying a Sunday sleep-in or else at breakfast.

Tris snuck back into her room, which was empty, Christina was obviously still at breakfast.

Tris headed to the bathroom, showered and changed into a soft pair of black yoga pants, and a light black sweater. She was going to at least wear comfortable clothing if she was in physical pain.

She was lying quietly on her bed, thinking over the last 12 hours, when Christina came in.

"What happened to you?" Christina asked, aghast at the sight of Tris's freshly bruised face. "I got a message from Four, saying you spent the night in the infirmary, he didn't tell me you were there because you'd been beaten up! It's not like this happened in training either."

"I had a run in with Peter and Drew," Tris said slowly. "Someone scared them off, and I ended up in the infirmary. I'm not really clear on what happened, I took a couple of blows to the head."

"I can see that!" Christina exclaimed hotly. "Why did Peter and Drew attack you? How did they find you? Where were you even? You disappeared from the party without saying anything? And what were you talking so long to Four about? You were both absorbed in each other."

"One question at a time, please, Christina," Tris begged softly. "Peter attacked me because he hates me, for reasons unknown. He was angry with me because I won't be beaten by him, even if he keeps trying to take me down. I don't know how they found me, but I was wandering the halls, just thinking. I left the party to think in peace and quiet. Four and I were just talking about various aspects of my training this week, we'd both been drinking, so I guess our arguing got out of hand."

Not a lie, just only part of the truth.

"Tris, you're going to have to take more care around him, and you certainly shouldn't be alone," Christina insisted. "You have to let Will, and Al and me take care of you. I know things are awkward with you and Al at the moment, but this it more important than hurt feelings. And, for what it's worth, Four wasn't looking at you like he was angry with you, he looked like he wanted to drag you off into a dark corner and devour you."

"I doubt that," Tris mumbled, knowing differently. Four certainly felt something for her, he'd admitted as much. They both just had to figure out where to go from there, and how.

"Well, anyway, I'm messaging Will now, so we can fill him and Al in on what happened to you," Christina announced.

"I don't want anyone besides them to know, Christina," Tris said firmly. "You guys are my friends, and I trust you, but I'd rather keep this whole thing quiet, give me a chance of living a relatively normal life here."

"Sure," Christina agreed quickly. "The boys will be here any minute. Do you need anything?"

A few wisecrack remarks came to mind, but Tris just said, "Not now. I'll just mentally prepare myself to go over this again."

The boys arrived, Will looking beyond curious, Al looking uncomfortable.

Christina kindly went over the events briefly, so Tris wouldn't have to again. She also mentioned keeping the matter very quiet.

Will looked increasingly angry, and Al looked rather upset, and possibly a little guilty.

"That bastard!" Will exclaimed. "Look, Tris, you shouldn't go anywhere without one of us for a little while."

"Yeah, everyone seems to be in agreement on that matter," Tris said dryly. "Including me. So, does anyone have any suggestions on what we can do today, seeing as I have to run things by my new bodyguards."

Christina and Will chuckled at this, and Al smiled weakly.

"I think there's a games room somewhere, we could play cards?" Will suggested. "Or whatever else we can find there."

"A quiet afternoon before training starts up sounds good," Tris agreed easily.

"Next weekend, we'll get up to some trouble, or at least do something a little less dull," Christina decided, standing. "We haven't checked out the pool yet, so we should do that at some point too."

So they spent an uneventful morning and afternoon together, Christina and Will being especially protective of Tris. Al was a little less so, and definitely acting strangely, but Tris just chalked it up to their conversation the day before.

About an hour before dinner, Tris and Christina left the boys, in search of obtaining some necessary supplies. For Christina, this included new makeup and hopefully, some new clothes.

Their hunting and gathering mission was successful, and they returned to their dorm room rather light hearted, their day having been mercifully relaxing and unexciting.

This mood dissipated quickly, Tris finding a note address to her on her bed.

She read it, growing whiter by the minute.

She sat down shakily on her bed, taking shuddering breaths.

Christina had been oblivious to Tris's distress as she was trying on her new top.

She turned around for Tris's approval and looked at her in alarm.

"What's happened?" she asked anxiously.

Tris held the letter up and waved it weakly.

"Read this," she said quietly.

So Christina did.

_Dear Tris,_

_When you read this, I will be gone. I am leaving Dauntless. It is not what I thought it would be._

_I'm sorry for everything that happened between us, the loss of your friendship and the fact that you did not return my romantic interests are part of the reason why I need to leave. With you by my side, training was bearable. I know I could not face it without you._

_I know you are thinking that even though we'll never be more than friends, that we could still at least __**be**__ friends, but this is not the case. Especially once you know what I've done._

_It was my fault that Peter and Drew found you last night. I had seen you talking to Four, and then I watched you leave and saw you wandering around alone. I knew you had not returned to your dorm. When I heard them talking about getting revenge on you, I told them where I thought they could find you. I was weak, and I betrayed you, all because you didn't want me, and because I was jealous watching you with other guys._

_I am truly sorry about Peter and Drew. I would do anything to take it back, but I can't. I couldn't see your face every day, knowing what I did. _

_I'm clearly not meant to be Dauntless, I'm not worthy of the organisation, or you. So I am leaving. By now I'm sure any recollection I have of this place will be gone, including any memories of you._

_Don't think too badly of me, I just wasn't strong like you._

_Goodbye_

_Al_

"Oh my God," Christina said weakly, truly floored.

"It's awful, right?" Tris said dully. "I want to be mad at him, but I can't. It's all so pathetic."

"Don't you dare feel bad," Christina said suddenly, and sternly. "None of this is your fault. Al knew that too, he didn't write you those things to make you feel bad, even though they did. He's gone now, and it's probably for the best."

"Let's go eat dinner, but only eat chocolate cake," Tris suggested woefully.

"Hell yes," Christina agreed. "And we should find Will and let him know, and he can join us in our quest for chocolate cake."

"Thank God for the kitchen's ability to make amazing chocolate cake," Tris said as she and Christina departed their dorm in search of comfort.

The three of them ate cake in a subdued manner, talking over Al's departure.

The news had somehow circulated to the other recruits, so the dining hall was buzzing with speculation.

Upon returning to their room for the night, Tris prepared for bed, and Christina headed out to hang out a little with Will before bed. Will had lost his roommate, so Christina had volunteered to distract Will for a little longer.

She however didn't leave until she made sure Tris would be secure in their room.

Tris was grateful for Christina's absence, for she wanted a chance to speak to Four.

She grabbed her cell and found Four's contact details, and sent him a message, asking to meet him somewhere.

He replied almost instantly, and arranged to meet her in the elevator at level six, so Tris wouldn't be travelling from her dorm alone for long.

Tris stepped into the elevator, containing only Four.

"What's up?" Four asked, in an oddly casual tone, pressing the button for level 20.

"How can you just ask that, when you know what's happened with Al?" Tris asked, a little hurt.

"Well, I thought I'd pretend I didn't know. I only know because I was his instructor. I guess I was trying to separate being your instructor and being your friend, or whatever," Four explained evenly. "I thought you might try explaining it solely from your end, as if I knew nothing."

"That would've been a nice plan, had I known about it from the start," Tris said dryly, nonetheless touched. She gave him a gentle smile to convey this.

They got out at level 20 and headed to Four's room.

They moved quickly through the shadows in the corridor, to avoid seeing anyone who would notice them.

They reached his room shortly, with no hiccups.

"I'd never really absorbed how many levels there are here, or really thought about what they could possibly be filled with. Every day I seem to discover some new part of the building," Tris commented absently.

"As interested as I am in your discovery of things here, I don't think that's what you really want to talk to me about," Four commented, pulling her down next to him on the couch. "How about you tell me about Al, from your side of things."

"Al left me a note," Tris shared quietly. "It was pretty awful. Did he tell you why he wanted to leave?"

"I didn't speak to him personally, I just had to sign the papers officially removing him from the program," Four replied. "The reason he listed was unsuitability."

"Well, it was partly that," Tris replied. "But it was mostly because of me. Because I didn't return his feelings, and because he felt guilty for something. Oh, here, just read this."

Tris pulled Al's note out of her pocket, and handed it to Four.

While he read it, she paced.

"Would you sit down?" Four said a few minutes later. "Come here."

Tris plopped down, and he pulled her to him, and she curled into his side.

"This was all out of your control," Four said gently, stroking her head.

"Christina went over that, thoroughly," Tris said, her voice muffled as her face was against Four's chest.

"Good. You can't let this get to you. Tomorrow, we'll be training again, and you have to keep it together, okay?" Four said seriously.

"Now you're being my instructor," Tris pointed out cheekily.

"I am not, an instructor would not have this level of emotional investment in you, and care about how you will cope tomorrow," Four retorted. "And if any other instructor is cuddling up to you like this, I won't be at all happy!"

Tris giggled, and then sighed. Everything moved so quickly in Dauntless life, even her emotions. Or perhaps especially her emotions.

They sat there quietly, until Tris stifled a yawn.

"Come on, let's smuggle you back to your dorm," Four said, standing, then taking her hand and pulling her up too.

They hurried back into the elevator, and climbed in, and headed back to level six.

"Goodnight," Tris said, as they came closer to level six.

"See you in the morning," Four returned. "Sleep well."

For a moment, he looked as if he was going to kiss her, but instead settled for giving her hand a tender squeeze, and dropping another tender kiss to her forehead.

She wished he would kiss her, or say or do something that really proved he had feelings for her. Part of her thought that it might be some misguided hero complex that caused him to want to protect her, and nothing more.

Tris slunk back into her bed, her nightmares back in full force, the events of the last few days proving too much for her subconscious.


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: Hi all, thanks for reviewing, reading and following/favouriting :) I'm so happy people are enjoying this story!**

**Chapter 12**

The recruits gathered on the 9th floor, in training room two, on Monday morning after breakfast.

They were down to eight, having lost Joan and Al already.

"Today you will have your last chance to show your ability in hand-to-hand combat," Four announced.

The combinations were already written on the board.

Tris had to fight Molly. Molly, the Amazonian, hulking, strong and blood thirsty. Molly, who had put Joan in the infirmary.

"After today, you will move into the next stage of training, which will be more of a mental test, than a physical test. You will continue to work on the physical side of training, including receiving more specialised, individual training in hand-to-hand combat. You will of course be expected to train daily in the gym, as well as working on your marksmanship," Four explained. "You will be sent details of your individual trainings sessions to your cell."

"We're expected to do all that, all at the same time?" Drew asked incredulously.

"I really think you're the last person who wants to be speaking right now, Drew," Four said coldly.

"I will explain further about the next stage of training, once you actually complete this stage," Four continued unsmilingly. "For now, first pair on the mat."

Christina and Tris stood together as Will took to the mat with Peter.

"Will's got a difficult last fight," Tris muttered to Christina.

She nodded grimly then said, "Well, so do you. And you're up second to last too."

Tris just nodded tensely, and they watched as Will stood up to Peter, challenging him at every turn. He was not going to go down easily.

When Peter came off the mat, after defeating Will in a long, even fight, he said to Tris in a low voice, "Molly's going to finish you off, Stiff. You've got no chance, you're pathetic."

Instead of feeling weak and helpless, Tris was filled with anger. She had had enough of being picked on, bullied, and beaten up. Not this time.

By the time she took to the mat with Molly, she was seething with pent up rage. All the anger she felt toward Peter was rapidly boiling just below the surface. The sneer on Molly's face only added to Tris's fury. She could see Peter and Drew on the edge of the mat, grinning snidely, in anticipation of Molly taking Tris down. Well, she was not going to give them the satisfaction.

She lunged out suddenly at Molly, catching her off guard, as soon as their fight started, hitting her in ribcage sharply.

Filled with adrenaline and anger, she continued to attack Molly, allowing her no chance to recover her focus. Tris hit at her head, her side, then kicked out at her knee, sending Molly to the floor.

Tris jumped straight onto the middle of her back, and pulled Molly's arms sharply behind her back.

"Have you had enough?" she asked, breathing heavily.

Molly tried to roll over and get Tris off her back, but Tris kicked her sharply in the ribs, repeatedly.

"I'll just keep going like this unless you give in," she threatened, adding another kick for good measure.

"Tris wins," Four declared, ending their struggle. "Tris, get off her."

Tris didn't move, she was so focused on keeping Molly down that she was oblivious to anything.

Four walked onto the mat and forcibly removed Tris from Molly.

Tris looked dazed and shocked for a moment, and then she heard Four say, "That's enough. You won. Go cool off."

Tris walked from the room, shoulder's squared, head held high. She had defended herself, and shown Peter and Molly that she was not their play thing. She did feel a little bothered by the fact that it was her rage that had empowered her to fight so viciously.

The more she thought about it, as she showered off the sweat from the fight, she realised that maybe emotion was the key. Not anger, but passion. When you fight, you have to fight for something, for someone, not just for bloodlust. As a part of Dauntless, she would be fighting for those who couldn't, her life would be dedicated to working against evil. That's where her passion needed to come from.

With this new found knowledge, she joined her friends in the dining room for lunch, a newfound confidence and ease settled over her.

"I don't think I'll even go to dinner," Christina said thoughtfully, as they ate. "I'll just wait outside the noticeboard until the rankings are posted."

"Peter will probably be waiting too, and blow your head off if he isn't first," Will joked.

"The rankings won't look any different if you wait to see them after dinner," Tris said matter-of-factly. "Just try to treat today like a normal day."

Christina grumbled, but agreed with them.

They spent the afternoon with Four, in their last extended target shooting session.

As it grew close to the time Four usually sent them to the gym he stopped them and said, "As I mentioned this morning, your training changes tomorrow. You are entering the next stage, which is going to be very intensive. You will be learning a lot about the theory behind our work, and about the different areas we specialise in, and the various positions available in Dauntless. This information will be mainly delivered through lectures – some by me, some by Eric, and some by agents you haven't met yet. You will learn about the government, the law, and psychology and profiling, as it applies to Dauntless agents. You will also do workshops in how to use our technology. The next few weeks will be packed full of learning and training, they won't be easy. At the end, you will be ranked in accordance with how well you demonstrate your knowledge in the areas in which you have been taught."

"How will we know where we're supposed to be, and when?" Christina asked curiously.

"You will get a message on your cell each evening," Four answered. "It will tell you the time, place, and subject of your classes for the next day. It will also list your instructor. Oh, also, you will be mixed in with the other recruits for some parts of the next stage of training. Dismissed."

Will, Christina and Tris walked out together, processing the new information.

"It's like high school, on steroids," Christina said with a moan, as they headed for the gym.

"I don't know, it might not be that bad, I like being busy," Tris countered.

"Yeah, I've kind of missed learning stuff, other than violence," Will added.

"You were both those nerdy kids in high school, weren't you?" Christina said astutely, and comically. "You know - those over achieving loners."

Will grinned guilty and Tris nodded.

"Well, I can see why you two aren't that bothered," Christina huffed. "At least the book stuff will be mixed in with the fun stuff. I can't wait to actually learn some proper defence and fighting techniques."

"Don't forget the technology side of things, that will be pretty great," Will reminded her.

"Maybe I'll get a gun that looks like lipstick!" Christina enthused.

Tris shook her head in amusement as they entered the gym.

The rest of the after noon and dinner passed fairly slowly for the recruits, even though they talked almost non-stop about what the rankings would be.

As soon as was realistic, they abandoned eating and made for the noticeboard on the dormitory floor.

The recruits all gathered around the noticeboard and impatiently read the list.

Edward

Peter

Will

Christina

Molly

Tris

Drew

Myra

"Six?" Tris wondered aloud. She had expected to be no higher than second last.

"Well, you did beat Molly pretty convincingly," Christina pointed out.

This caused Molly to death stare Tris with the fire of a thousand suns.

"Better stick clear of her for a while," Will suggested with a chuckle.

"I'd say the same to you, except for the fact that Peter is probably going to be too busy working out a way to ruin Edward's ranking for the next stage," Tris said grimly. "Nice work, Will."

Tris was fairly satisfied with her placing, she was sure she'd be able to improve it greatly in the next stage, partially because the style of learning would suit her more, and partly because she was really beginning to find herself.

When at the board, Tris had briefly noticed the rankings of her 'legacy' friends. Uriah had been second, Lynn third, and Marlene fifth. Tris didn't exactly think of Lynn as a friend, but she was still someone Tris knew, and would be up against at the end, when they picked who would become Dauntless agents.

That evening, as they were all readying for bed, each recruit received their promised message, containing their training plans for the next day.

Tris had a lecture with Harrison first thing, on Dauntless and the government. Then she was required to spend an hour in the gym before lunch. After lunch she had a workshop introducing her to weapons technology, with an agent called Lauren. After that, a training session in more advanced target practice, with Four.

Christina's schedule was the same, and a message from Will let them know his was the same.

Tris concluded that most of the recruits would be together most of the time, except when they had individual sessions in hand-to-hand combat.

"Sleep well," Christina said, when they were in bed with the light off. "We're going to need all the sleep we can get."

The next morning all of the remaining recruits sat expectantly, waiting for Harrison to appear and begin their next stage of training.

Harrison enetered the room a few minutes later, quickly set up a presentation, then addressed the room.

"As Dauntless agents, it is essential that you have a thorough understanding of government structure and processes. Our missions usually have some sort of connection to the government, so an extensive knowledge of how they work will allow you to do your job successfully," Harrison explained. "In some instances, you may be planted within a government section to protect someone, or to uncover cases of espionage or terrorism. More commonly, there are cases of government corruption that need to be monitored and addressed. You will also learn about various facets of the law, including governmental, during your law lectures, which will allow you to function seamlessly when working with and within the government."

The recruits were nodding, listening closely to Harrison.

"You will be tested, in written format, at the end of this stage of training, and this will determine a large part of your ranking at the end of the second stage. So I suggest you take extensive notes during any lecture you attend," Harrison advised. "Feel free to use pen and paper, but I personally would recommend you use your cell phones. They will become an extension of you, in your life as an agent, so making every use of them is advisable. We will commence now."

And so it began.

The recruits were relieved to find themselves in the gym a couple of hours later, where they could just exercise, without having to take care to absorb anything and everything Harrison taught them.

Tris was running on the treadmill when she heard a bloodcurdling shriek over the noise of her music.

She stopped the treadmill and looked up.

She could see Myra, standing over someone, presumably Edward, and they were crying out in pain.

Tris rushed to them, along with several other recruits, and the agent on duty, Tori.

Edward was pinned to the bench, the heavy weight he had been lifting, crushing his upper torso.

One shoulder was popped out at an awkward angle, and his chest looked literally crushed.

Everyone was looking on in horror, including Tori.

Tris looked expectantly at her, but she seemed unsure of what to do.

"Run to the infirmary, now!" Tris ordered Marlene, who moved off immediately.

"Will, Uriah, we need to get the weight off him, but avoid moving him," Tris continued. "Each of you grab one end, and lift it off slowly and carefully. Myra, you need to step back. Christina, hold her back. Edward, this is going to hurt, but it's going to be better for you in the long run. Stay as still as you can, help is coming."

Uriah and Will removed the heavy object off Edward's chest and set it on its bar.

Tori seemed to snap out of whatever trance she had been in, and she started asking questions.

"Who saw what happened? Anyone?" she asked sternly. "Myra?"

Myra shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Edward, can you talk?" Tori asked.

"Someone forced the weights down onto my chest, crushing me," Edward ground out through gritted teeth. "I don't know who."

Tris immediately thought of Peter. He, Drew and Molly were standing around, with everyone else. Tris assumed if he was ever questioned, they would both provide him with an alibi. But judging from the satisfied expression on his face, it was all Peter's handiwork.

"I will be asking questions about this, we don't have any surveylance in this room, for privacy reasons, but I do know who was here at the time, because there's no way you got in here without checking in," Tori annouced. "You'll all be hearing from me later."

The doctor arrived then with Marlene, and attended to Edward, quickly arranging for him to be taken away.

"You were cool as a cucumber," Uriah said, once things had settled a little.

"My dad is a doctor, I guess part of him rubbed off on me," Tris said with a shrug.

"They'll never get to the bottom of this, you know," Uriah replied. "They can ask all the questions they want, but in the end they'll get nowhere. People join ranks, and all they can do is issue a warning and watch the suspected perpatraitor closely from then on."

"I figured as much," Will said, who had been listening to their conversation. "It's a pretty brutal world. I guess we can look forward to being questioned and lectured."

"Pretty much," Uriah confirmed. "Well, I'd better get back on the bike, I've still got 10 miles left on my workout."

They all resumed their activities, trying to go about things as normal.

Lunch followed, and then they were all in their workshop for weapons technology.

When they entered, Tris recognised, their instuctor, Lauren as one of Four's friends, she was usually sat with him, Zeke and Shauna in the dining hall.

The workshop was quite intruiging, and the time passed quickly.

Before they knew it, they were in a new target practice room, with a new, more complicated set of targets.

After their lesson, Four subtly stopped Tris on her way out.

"I hear things got intense in the gym today," he said.

"You mean, someone tried to take Edward out. That someone obviously being Peter," Tris replied grimly. "Don't bother telling me, I know there's basically no way to prove it."

"You're right," Four said seriously. "I wish it wasn't that way, but it is. Especially because, from what I last heard, he and Myra are quitting. She probably wouldn't have made it through training anyway, and he is going to be injured for a while. Dauntless won't bother extensively looking into what happened if they're gone."

"What will happen to them?" Tris asked in concern.

"Well, we'll make sure Edward heals okay, then, as with everyone, we'll fix up their memories, and slot them back into their old lives," Four replied. "When you've been here a while, you'll get more use to seeing people come and go. It's often in a violent manner, because life here **can** be violent, often frequently."

"Yeah," Tris said quietly. "You've just got to keep rolling with the punches here."

"You're doing well, don't sweat it too much," Four said reassuringly, smiling encouragingly at her. "I'll see you later."

"Sure," Tris agreed, giving him a long look. "Later."

Tris rejoined her friends, preparing to ready herself for more intense training over the coming weeks.

**AN: Thanks for reading! This story is on a two week hiatus, sorry! I'm really busy with work at the moment, so I need a couple of weeks to breath and get some more of this written :) Thanks for your understanding!**


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